Suella Braverman - Time To Go

Time was when Tory MPs like Daniel Kawczynski were reprimanded for attending the National Conservatism conference, given the nationalist and indeed racist aspects of such gatherings. But despite this year’s event featuring appalling bigots like Doug Murray The K, there was no rap on the knuckles for Home Secretary Suella Braverman when she rocked up there.

Another day, another mishap

No doubt the Tory leadership would like this to be seen as their being tolerant and broad-minded, rather than Rishi Sunak being weak, and his party ranks devoid of credible replacements. Sadly for him, hardly had that little local difficulty passed from view than Ms Braverman was splashed across the front page of the Murdoch Sunday Times, and for all the wrong reasons.

“Braverman asked Civil Servants to help her avoid speeding fine” was the wording that caused Sunak another heap of trouble that he could do without, as well as confirming that the Murdoch mafiosi show every sign of not only concluding that the Tories will lose the next General Election, but also that they may be done with giving The Blue Team their unequivocal backing.

As the story was out there well before first editions had to be “put to bed”, the magpies at the Mail on Sunday decided they would run with the story, rather than join the herd crowing at the departure of Phillip Schofield from ITV weekday offering This Morning. But it wouldn’t be the MoS without demoting the news to mere “row” status, as well as keeping up the personality cult.

Hence “Row as Home Secretary is accused of asking officials to set up private driving awareness course after breaking limit … SUELLA ‘TRIED TO COVER UP’ SPEEDING OFFENCE”. There is no “row”. Ms Braverman (as opposed to the gushing “Suella”) was caught speeding. She was given the option of taking the fine and three penalty points, or doing a course.

However, and this is a significantly sized however, the course, on speed awareness, would have been as part of a group. As the BBC has reported, “She tried to arrange a one-on-one course through civil servants and her adviser, the BBC has been told … A government source told the BBC the senior minister had been ‘concerned’ about her insurance premiums, and favoured doing a course”. But here a problem entered.

“She asked civil servants about arranging a course for just her, citing security concerns about doing one as part of a group, but was told it was not a matter for the civil service … Mrs Braverman then asked a special adviser to try to arrange a one-on-one course”. Security? We already knew she got caught.

But do go on. “When the course provider told her there was no option to do a private course - and after she was reappointed home secretary in Mr Sunak's government - she opted to pay the fine and accept the points because she was ‘very busy’ and did not have the time to do a course, the BBC has been told”. Doesn’t make sense. She wasn’t too busy for a one-on-on course.

Moreover, the impression is given that the ministerial code has been broken once again. LBC host James O’Brien was unimpressed: “Braverman’s speeding fine is literally nothing to do with the civil service. Even her highly dubious defence - that she was enquiring about the general availability of one-on-one awareness courses - involves her asking public servants on taxpayer’s time about her personal issues”. And then it got worse.

As Adam Bienkov of Byline Times observed, “Both Rishi Sunak and Therese Coffey stonewalling questions about Suella Braverman breaking the ministerial code by asking officials to help her avoid a speeding fine, by saying they ‘don't have the details’ … The story broke yesterday afternoon. Of course they have the details”. A given before the Sunday morning TV round.

Would Sir care to show some leadership, perchance?

Then it got worse still as it was revealed that someone had been lying. “Suella Braverman's team originally denied she'd got [a] speeding ticket … Raises troubling questions about the government's dealings with journalists” noted Daily Mirror political editor John Stevens. Would he care to expand?

He certainly would. “The Mirror contacted the Home Secretary about the driving offence six weeks ago … Her Tory special adviser insisted she had not been done for speeding and accused her political enemies of spreading misinformation … We now know that was false”. By this time, Mrs T would have sacked Ms Braverman. And the SpAd. So why is she still in post?

Sunak has to sack her, or he isn’t in control. And that’s not good enough.

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