Rishi Sunak has been branded "weak" after he was confronted by Keir Starmer over his re-appointment of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary following her sacking last week. The Conservative leader faced the Labour leader during his first outing in the House of Commons at Prime Minister's Questions after he replaced Liz Truss in Downing Street.
Braverman was re-appointed yesterday after Liz Truss sacked her from the Home Office after she breached the ministerial code when she sent a sensitive email from a personal account to a fellow Tory MP. Starmer argued the "Tories have crashed the economy", asking: "Those with broadest shoulders must step up, does he agree?"
He said: "We can all see what's happened here. He's so weak, he's done a grubby deal trading national security because he was scared to lose another leadership election. There's a new Tory at the top but as always with them party first, country second.
"Yesterday on the steps of Downing Street he also admitted what the whole country knows, the Tories have crashed the economy and now somebody has to pay for their mess. I say it shouldn't be working people who've been hammered time and again by this lot, but those with broadest shoulders must step up, does he agree?"
Sunak replied: "[He] talked about party first and country second, perhaps he could explain to us why it was a few years ago he was supporting the member for Islington North [ Jeremy Corbyn ]. My record is clear, when times are difficult in this country I will always protect the most vulnerable, that is the values of our compassionate party. We did it in Covid and we will do that again."
Before questions on Braverman's appointment, Starmer welcomed Sunak to his place after he became the first Britain Asian to be PM. He added it was a "significant moment in our national story" that Sunak was the first Prime Minister of South Asian descent.
Starmer asked: "Was his Home Secretary right to resign last week for a breach of security?" Sunak replied: "The Home Secretary made an error of judgment but she recognised that, she raised the matter and she accepted her mistake. That is why I was delighted to welcome her back into a united cabinet that brings experience and stability to the heart of Government."
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