Yousaf welcomes Braverman sacking as Scottish politicians react

She is succeeded by James Cleverly, the former foreign secretary. Former prime minister David Cameron has returned to government as foreign secretary and will be made a peer, No 10 said.

Responding to the news on social media this morning, the First Minister wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "Never has someone been so unfit for public office as Suella Braverman.

READ MORE: Humza Yousaf and deputy accused of misleading parliament

"At a time when we need those in Government to bring communities together, she revelled in fanning the flames of division. The Tories are out of ideas and out of time, there should be a General Election now."

Mr Yousaf said yesterday Ms Braverman should be sacked and not allowed to resign and on Saturday had accused the home secretary of 'emboldening' the far right following an article attacking how the Met were policing pro-Palestine demonstrations.

Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman stands at the Cenotaph in London with her wreath on Remembrance Sunday on November 12, 2023 in London. Photo by Richard Pohle - WPA Pool/Getty Images.

Responding to Ms Braverman's sacking, the SNP's home affairs spokeswoman Alison Thewliss MP, said: "Suella Braverman was a cruel, vindictive and incompetent home secretary. The fact that Rishi Sunak took so long to sack her, and did so only after public pressure, shows how weak he is."

She added: "It's right that she's finally gone but her abhorrent policies remain in place and are completely at odds with the values of people in Scotland - and with our economic interests as a country.

"We don't just need rid of one Tory minister, we need rid of the whole rotten lot - and the only way to get rid of Westminster Tory governments for good is with independence.

"Independent European countries like Scotland are wealthier and fairer than the UK - and with the full powers of independence they can introduce policies that meet their values and interests. So the question is - why not Scotland?"

Ms Braverman's sacking was also welcomed by the Scottish Greens whose co-leader Lorna Slater said the former home secretary left "a shameful legacy that has scarred millions of lives".

“Suella Braverman caused huge damage and spread enormous misery in her 13 month reign of cruelty," said Ms Slater.

“She deliberately targeted the most vulnerable people who were made to pay a terrible price for dehumanising policies that she introduced. Hers is a shameful legacy that has scarred millions of lives by stoking division, hatred and wickedness.

James Cleverly leaves Number 10 Downing Street after being appointed home secretary. Photo PA.

“She should never have been handed the job in the first place let alone have been allowed to survive so long. 

“If the Prime Minister had any strength and wasn't so terrified of his own backbenchers he should have sacked her months ago and have admitted his mistake, an error of judgement that has plunged the UK into toxic turmoil because of her cruel policies. 

“The appalling scenes we saw on Saturday were only the tip of the iceberg. From dog whistles to the far right to racist Rwanda deportations and dawn raids, she was desperate to make life as difficult as possible for refugees and migrant communities.

“It's not just Suella Braverman that we need to see the back of, it is the divisive and punishing politics that she represents. It is also the weak Prime Minister that appointed her and the disgraceful government of which she was a key part.

“The Scotland I want us to build is a welcoming and progressive one, and the exact opposite of the closed, authoritarian and insular UK that Suella Braverman has done so much to create.”

Former Prime Minister David Cameron returns to government as foreign secretary.  Photo PA.

Ms Braverman was sacked as Rishi Sunak took action following the unauthorised article in The Times accusing the police of favouring some groups over others.

A No 10 source said the Prime Minister “asked Suella Braverman to leave Government and she has accepted”.

After being sacked, Ms Braverman said “it has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve as home secretary”, adding: “I will have more to say in due course.”

READ MORE: Yousaf: Braverman should be sacked and not allowed to resign

The Conservatives said Mr Sunak is carrying out a wider reshuffle which “strengthens his team in Government to deliver long-term decisions for a brighter future”.

But sacking one of the leading figures on the Tory right could pose difficulties for the Prime Minister as he seeks to get his party united behind him and ready for a general election expected next year.

News of Ms Braverman’s exit came as defence minister James Heappey was touring broadcast studios.

READ MORE: Suella Braverman 'emboldened' far-right says Humza Yousaf

Minutes before she was sacked, he had told LBC that Mr Sunak and his team in No 10 had been “very clear she (Ms Braverman) has his confidence and, in that sense, one would imagine that she will continue”.

But he was told on air during an ITV Good Morning Britain interview that she had been sacked, leaving him to say: “Your viewers will be enjoying my discomfort, but it is in this case difficult to offer commentary when I just don’t know what is going on.”

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: “Suella Braverman was never fit to be Home Secretary. Rishi Sunak knew this and he still appointed her.

“It was the Prime Minister’s sheer cowardice that kept her in the job even for this long. We are witnessing a broken party and a broken Government, both of which are breaking this country.”

Ms Braverman was no stranger to controversy in her time as home secretary.

Opponents of Ms Braverman consistently accused her of employing far-right rhetoric and lacking compassion in her comments about asylum seekers, immigrants, the homeless and multiculturalism.

She had previously also been effectively sacked by Liz Truss over security concerns, before being brought back into government a week later by Rishi Sunak.