MPs to investigate if Rishi Sunak overruled cabinet secretary by reappointing Suella Braverman

A powerful Commons committee will investigate claims Rishi Sunak overruled the security fears of the cabinet secretary when he reappointed Suella Braverman, The Independent has learned. David Lammy, Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, said: “We certainly should know what advice Rishi Sunak took from the cabinet secretary as to whether he should have reappointed her.” The prime minister is also battling allegations he misled MPs about Ms Braverman’s sacking – just six days before what has been branded a “grubby deal” to send her back to the Home Office, in return for her support get him to No 10. Hours earlier, standing outside No 10, Mr Sunak had promised the country: “This government will have integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level.” Labour’s John McDonnell, a member of the public administration and constitutional affairs committee, has called for it to investigate whether the cabinet secretary’s fears were brushed aside. “And who is involved in making this assessment and providing the risk assessment to the prime minister?” The source close to the committee said: “This is the committee’s subject area – propriety and ethics – so it will look sympathetically at John’s request.” Earlier, No 10 doubled down on Mr Sunak’s claim that Ms Braverman had owned up to the breach, his spokesman insisting it was “accurate” – while being unable to say how he had verified her version of events. But Caroline Nokes, a former Tory home office minister, said “big questions” about Ms Braverman’s return must be cleared up, adding: “If that means a full inquiry, then I think that’s the right thing to do.” And Mark Pritchard, a former Conservative member of parliament’s intelligence and security committee, tweeted: “MI5 need to have confidence in the home secretary – whoever that might be.