James Cleverly appointed Home Secretary in Cabinet Reshuffle

James Cleverly, the former Foreign Secretary, has been appointed as the new Home Secretary after a Cabinet reshuffle.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made the change after firing Suella Braverman as Home Secretary, following her controversial comments on the police last week.

Published in The Times on Wednesday, Braverman claimed aggressive right-wing protesters were "rightly met with a stern response" by the police, while "pro-Palestinian mobs" were "largely ignored".

She went on to say the Met was applying "double standards" and "played favourites when it came to demonstrators".

In a statement today, Braverman said it had been "the greatest privilege of her life" to serve as home secretary. She added that she "will have more to say in due course."

Today marks the second time Braverman has lost the job of home secretary – after she resigned from Liz Truss's government breaking the ministerial code. Sunak reappointed her less than a week later when he took over as prime minister.

After the Conservatives' double byelection defeat to Labour last month, many Tory figures have claimed Sunak has not been "bold enough" since entering No 10.

The party said today that Sunak was carrying out a wider reshuffle that "strengthens his team in government to deliver long-term decisions for a brighter future".

Braverman's replacement, 54-year-old Cleverly, arrives at the job just 48 hours before a crucial Supreme Court decision on Wednesday regarding whether the government's Rwanda deportation plan can happen.

As part of the Illegal Migration Bill, the Conservative government has repeatedly pushed for the Rwanda Bill to be approved in court, which would see thousands of asylum seekers deported to the African nation.

The bill seeks to address one of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's five stated priorities – to "stop the boats" containing asylum seekers crossing the Channel to England.

The proposed legislation aims to "prevent and deter unlawful migration, and in particular migration by unsafe and illegal routes, by requiring the removal of certain persons who enter or arrive in the United Kingdom in breach of immigration control".

Official data declares that in 2023, the net migration number stands at 606,000 – the highest on record for a calendar year. This number includes those who are students, NHS staff, public servants, and Ukrainian refugees.

It was reported that 1.2 million people migrated to the UK, and 557,000 people emigrated from the UK in 2022.

But despite the proposal's popularity with the right wing of the Conservative Party, the bill has received criticism from across the political spectrum, as well as international organisations such as the UN.

Rights groups and the United Nations said the legislation would make Britain itself an international outlaw under European and UN conventions on asylum.

A new analysis carried out by the Home Office as part of an Impact Assessment also revealed that it would cost the government an estimated £169,000 to send illegal migrants to countries such as Rwanda.

Earlier this year, Cleverly defied the Tory right by arguing that the UK should remain a signatory of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

The new home secretary said in April that he was "not convinced" that leaving the ECHR was necessary to ensure the immigration system was robust.

But today he claimed he was "absolutely committed to stopping the boats".

Other changes made by Sunak in the cabinet reshuffle included appointing former Prime Minister David Cameron as Foreign Secretary, replacing cleverly.

Cameron posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: "We are facing a daunting set of international challenges, including the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East. At this time of profound global change, it has rarely been more important for this country to stand by our allies, strengthen our partnerships and make sure our voice is heard.

"While I have been out of front-line politics for the last seven years, I hope that my experience – as Conservative Leader for eleven years and Prime Minister for six – will assist me in helping the Prime Minister to meet these vital challenges."

A spokesperson for the Government also confirmed Jeremy Hunt would remain as chancellor. However, the environment secretary, Therese Coffey, deputy prime minister under Liz Truss, resigned from her position, to be replaced by the health secretary Steve Barclay.

Barclay will be replaced in health by Victoria Atkins, a junior Treasury minister, while Richard Holden, a junior transport minister, will replace Greg Hands as party chair.