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Departure of Previous Home Secretary
20 October 2022
Lead MP
Brendan Clarke-Smith
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
Standards & Ethics
Other Contributors: 21
At a Glance
Brendan Clarke-Smith raised concerns about departure of previous home secretary in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
Clarke-Smith announced the resignation of Suella Braverman, the former Home Secretary, for breaching Cabinet confidentiality and violating ministerial code rules. He emphasised that all ministers are personally responsible for upholding these standards and that Prime Minister's confidence is required to remain in office. Clarke-Smith noted that the security of Government business is paramount and that the matter cannot be further discussed due to its sensitivity. The new Home Secretary, Grant Shapps, was appointed by the Prime Minister following Braverman's resignation.
Yvette Cooper
Lab
Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley
Question
Cooper questioned the timing of Braverman’s resignation letter, which suggested she was circulating a draft ministerial statement to MPs before it was approved by the Cabinet. She also inquired about whether other documents were sent through personal emails and if there was a disagreement over policy between the Prime Minister and Braverman.
Minister reply
Clarke-Smith responded that breaches of the ministerial code are handled by the Cabinet Office, not the Home Office. He clarified that the document contained draft Government policy still under discussion within Cabinet Committees and constituted clear breaches of the code.
Edward Leigh
Con
Gainsborough
Question
Leigh sought assurance that Braverman's resignation was solely due to a technical breach and not over policy disagreements. He also inquired if the current policies on illegal immigration would remain unchanged.
Minister reply
Clarke-Smith reassured Leigh that this Government stands firm in tackling illegal immigration, reiterating that Braverman’s departure was based on breaches of the ministerial code.
Question
McLaughlin questioned whether the Home Secretary's departure marked an end to the controversial Rwanda policy. She also criticised Braverman for her dogmatic views on immigration and highlighted her short tenure as Home Secretary.
Minister reply
Clarke-Smith did not pre-empt Government policy on immigration, emphasising that decisions were made by Cabinet and that they were here to discuss breaches of ministerial code.
Lee Anderson
Reform
Ashfield
Question
The MP questions whether the Cabinet, Government and No.10 were fully supportive of the previous Home Secretary on issues such as small boats and illegal immigration.
Minister reply
The Minister affirms that the government is committed to tackling illegal immigration but avoids commenting on specific policies or assuring future actions until the new Home Secretary addresses the House.
Question
The MP asks for details regarding the security classification of documents and whether other Ministers are using personal email accounts for Government business.
Minister reply
The Minister states that it is not his place to disclose such information, emphasising the sensitivity involved in keeping government matters confidential.
Question
The MP seeks clarity on the current immigration policy and whether it is under review.
Minister reply
The Minister reiterates that while he cannot discuss policies at present, future updates will be provided by the new Home Secretary.
Ellie Reeves
Lab
Lewisham West and East Dulwich
Question
The MP criticises the government's handling of immigration policy as well as overall governance, advocating for a general election to bring stability.
Minister reply
The Minister asserts that it is not a presidential system and argues that the focus should be on addressing the resignation of the Home Secretary.
Question
The MP inquires about the new Home Secretary's stance on accommodating illegal immigrants and support for schemes like Rwanda.
Minister reply
The Minister confirms the government’s commitment to tackling illegal immigration, highlighting the swift appointment of a new Home Secretary.
Alistair Carmichael
Lib Dem
Orkney and Shetland
Question
The MP suggests that immigration policy is hindering economic growth and requests urgent changes in visa laws for non-EU nationals working in the fishing industry.
Minister reply
The Minister emphasises not responding to speculation but reaffirms the need for adherence to the ministerial code.
Question
The MP expresses disappointment over the previous Home Secretary’s departure and asks if the government will soften its stance on illegal immigration.
Minister reply
The Minister assures continuity in efforts against illegal immigration, citing the Prime Minister's letter of appreciation for the former Home Secretary.
Clive Efford
Lab
Eltham
Question
The MP asks about a possible breach of the ministerial code by a Cabinet member during the vote and inquires if it will be investigated.
Minister reply
The Minister advises against commenting on speculation, emphasising adherence to established processes for addressing breaches.
Question
The MP seeks clarity on events surrounding the former Home Secretary’s departure and questions the selective nature of information provided.
Minister reply
The Minister emphasises discussing facts rather than speculation, focusing on adherence to ministerial code.
Florence Eshalomi
Lab Co-op
Vauxhall
Question
The MP criticises the former Home Secretary’s language regarding refugees and inquires about a more compassionate approach by the new Home Secretary.
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledges historical compassion towards refugees, including aid abroad and previous schemes.
Andrew Slaughter
Lab
Hammersmith
Question
The MP questions the Prime Minister's judgment based on short-term appointments of Home Secretary and Chancellor.
Minister reply
The Minister reiterates that the Prime Minister expects high standards from Ministers and acts swiftly when necessary to ensure governance.
Dave Doogan
SNP
Angus and Perthshire Glens
Question
The former Home Secretary got her jotters because she was on manoeuvres. The Cabinet at large is on manoeuvres to find out who will replace the Prime Minister, but the de facto Prime Minister—the Chancellor—did not want anybody else’s manoeuvres competing with his own. Is that not the truth? It is nothing to do with a breach of the code.
Minister reply
The proof is in the resignation letter of the former Home Secretary. She herself outlined the reasons why she resigned from her position. She has been very clear about the ministerial code and about which areas of it she has breached. As we have said, other matters are to be treated separately.
Question
The Minister may not want to discuss immigration policy today, but I hope he will share my deep concern at the written answer that I received from the Home Office on Tuesday, which revealed that nearly 900 asylum-seeking children under 16 had been accommodated in hotels. According to a report published this week by the chief inspector of borders and immigration, some of the hotel staff do not even have Disclosure and Barring Service clearance. Will the Minister go back to the Home Office immediately after this session and urge it to take action to get those children out of those hotels and into a place of safety?
Minister reply
I am happy to pass that question on to those at the Home Office so that they can provide the hon. Lady with the information she seeks. Of course, we remain committed to safeguarding children, whether they are in this country or those that this country has received.
Question
The Minister has referred to the former Home Secretary’s letter of resignation. In that letter, she said: “the document was a draft Written Ministerial Statement...due for publication imminently. Much of it had already been briefed to MPs.” Can the Minister confirm that that is the case? I suspect that it is the case, and if so, we all know full well what the real reason for her resignation was, do we not?
Minister reply
I think I covered this earlier, but I am happy to repeat what I said for the hon. Gentleman’s benefit. Having this information in a personal email account and then sharing it outside Government does constitute a clear breach of the code.
Luke Pollard
Lab Co-op
Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
Question
This is a mess. I appreciate that the Minister is having a really bad time having to defend it, but may I ask whether he has asked other Cabinet Members whether they have shared sensitive documents in their personal emails? Have they been asked that question? Has this been extended to other platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram or Signal? Will there be a full check of the former Home Secretary’s phone to ensure that not just personal email but other social networks and communication apps may have been used?
Minister reply
I agree with the hon. Gentleman that it is important for documents to be kept secure. That is why such material is kept separate from personal emails and so on.
Question
The dogs in the street can see the chaos at the heart of this Government, and the departure of the former Home Secretary—the full truth of which we still do not know, even after what has been said today—is not even the latest example of that chaos. As we face huge economic challenges and a “cost of Tory” crisis, we have probably not needed stronger and more decisive leadership this much since world war two. Does the Minister think that the UK has the strong and decisive leadership that it needs?
Minister reply
I absolutely do have that strong and decisive leadership, and it was strong and decisive leadership that received the resignation of the former Home Secretary and then appointed another Home Secretary on the same afternoon.
Question
Increased immigration would tackle labour shortages and increase the tax take and ending the hostile environment would vastly improve Government efficiency. Given that growing the economy and cutting Government spending are supposed to be Government priorities, when will we hear from the new Home Secretary about how Home Office policy is going to align with the Prime Minister’s stated aims?
Minister reply
If increased immigration is the SNP’s policy, that is for them. In our policies, we have been clear that we want to attract the brightest and best talent to this country while making sure that we have a firm but fair immigration system.
Shadow Comment
Yvette Cooper
Shadow Comment
Cooper criticised the instability within the government, noting that this is the third Home Secretary in seven weeks. She questioned the contradictions between Clarke-Smith’s statement and Braverman's resignation letter, which suggested she was circulating a draft ministerial statement to MPs before it was approved by the Cabinet. Cooper also raised concerns over Braverman's involvement with leadership campaigning while in office and urged for clarification on who is making decisions regarding national security.
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