SUELLA Braverman deserves a “second chance” as Home Secretary despite claims of “multiple breaches” of security, the new Tory party chairman has said.
Nadhim Zahawi said the Prime Minister was right to give the key member of the party’s right-wing a shot at “redemption” just six days after she was forced to resign for breaking the ministerial code.
His comments came after his predecessor in the post, Sir Jake Berry, claimed Ms Braverman was a serial offender.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail also reported that MI5 had previously investigated a leak involving the senior Tory.
Ms Braverman left her role in Ms Truss’s cabinet after she was caught sending veteran backbench Tory Sir John Hayes an official document from a personal email account.
She accidentally copied in someone she believed was Sir John’s wife, but was in fact an aide to Conservative MP Andrew Percy, who raised the alarm.
Sir Jake told TalkTV: “It was sent from a private email address to another Member of Parliament. She then sought to copy in that individual’s wife and accidentally sent it to a staffer in Parliament.
“To me that seems a really serious breach, especially when it was documents relating to cybersecurity, as I believe.
“That seems a really serious breach. The Cabinet Secretary had his say at the time. I doubt he’s changed his mind in the last six days, but that’s a matter for the new Prime Minister.”
He told the programme: “From my own knowledge, there were multiple breaches of the ministerial code.”
Mr Zahawi defended her reappointment and did not deny the claim.
“She fell on her sword, she didn’t try to ride it out and try to hang on to her job,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“This Prime Minister looked at the details of this case and he believes in second chances and he’s giving Suella Braverman a second chance. I believe in redemption, as I’m sure many of your listeners would do as well.”
Meanwhile, according to the Daily Mail, Ms Braverman was investigated by a unit within the Cabinet Office over a leak about the government’s plan to seek an injunction against the BBC.
The broadcaster was going to name a spy who was accused of using his position to terrorise his former partner.
Ms Braverman, who was Attorney General at the time, was seeking the injunction.
The newspaper reports that the leak about her plans caused “concern” to the Security Service, MI5.
An investigation was launched by the Government Security Group, a little-publicised unit within the Cabinet Office.
As the leak involved an issue of national security, it is understood that MI5 also had a role in the inquiry.
A Whitehall source said told the paper: “They did not find conclusive evidence of who the leaker was. There was a wide field of potential leakers.”
The source added: “If there had been solid knowledge of who was responsible, the matter wouldn't have been left to rest there.”
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: “These are extremely serious allegations.
“There needs to be an urgent investigation into the Home Secretary’s security breaches including these new allegations while she was attorney general.
“The Prime Minister needs to say whether he knew about these allegations when he re-appointed her. Ignoring warnings about security risks when appointing a Home Secretary is highly irresponsible and dangerous.”
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