London: Indian-origin UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman was on Monday sacked as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak initiated a Cabinet reshuffle.
A leading figure on the Conservative right, Braverman had last week defied Sunak by publishing an article criticising the police handling of pro-Palestinian protests that took place on Saturday.
She was accused of inflaming tensions and encouraging right-wing protesters to take to the streets of London, putting Rishi Sunak under pressure to take action.
In an attack on the police last week, Suella Braverman said that London’s police force was ignoring lawbreaking by “pro-Palestinian mobs" describing demonstrators calling for a cease-fire in Gaza as “hate marchers.”
More than 140 people were arrested after far-right counter-protesters clashed with the police, who tried to keep them away from the 300,000 pro-Palestinian marchers.
Sunak had come under fire from opposition lawmakers and members of his own governing Conservative Party to eject Braverman, following which he asked her "to leave government".
The 43-year-old Goan-origin minister has repeatedly courted controversy in her senior UK Cabinet role.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has replaced Braverman. A spokesperson also confirmed Jeremy Hunt would remain as chancellor, The Guardian reported.
Meanwhile, former prime minister David Cameron has also returned to the UK government as Foreign Secretary, in a stunning comeback for the former premier. Downing Street announced on Monday that Cameron would join the government.
Sunak is now carrying out a reshuffle - which involves changing some of his top team.