Rishi Sunak Criticised For His UK Home Secretary Pick. Here's His Response

Rishi Sunak, Britain Prime Minister, today defended the reappointment of Indian-origin Suella Braverman as the Home Secretary. Mr Sunak said that the home secretary will be focused on cracking down on criminals and defending the country's borders.

She was forced to resign earlier this month for accidentally emailing classified government documents outside her department.

The news of her reappointment on the official Twitter handle of the Prime Minister drew largely negative comments. Many questioned how the Conservative Party reappointed a leader who had admitted to a security breach. Others questioned her stance on policies -- especially on migration control -- that has drawn mixed reactions even within her party.

Labour Party leader Keir Starmer today asked Mr Sunak: "Was the home secretary right to resign last week for a breach of security?"

He noted that Mr Sunak has promised to govern with "integrity, professionalism and accountability", but points out that he has put in charge of the Home Office a woman forced to leave her job just a week ago.

Mr Starmer said that the post should be held by someone whose integrity and professionalism are beyond question and accused Mr Sunak of doing a "grubby deal" trading national security because he was scared to lose another leadership election.

Rishi Sunak said that the home secretary made an error of judgement but she recognised that and accepted her mistake.

Countering the Labour leader, Mr Sunak said Suella Braverman will be focused on "cracking down on criminals" and "defending borders", while the party in opposition (Labour) remains "soft on crime" and in favour of "unlimited immigration".

Ms Braverman -- an outspoken critic of Rishi Sunak's predecessor Liz Truss's economic policy -- had come out in support of Mr Sunak in the run-up to his election last week. "We need unity, stability and efficiency. Rishi Sunak is the only candidate that fits the bill and I am proud to support him," she wrote in The Daily Telegraph.

Earlier this month, she was also at the centre of controversy for branding Indians as the "largest group of people who overstay" their visas in the UK. She blamed the riots in Leicester following an India-Pakistan cricket match on uncontrolled migration into the UK and the newcomers' failure to integrate.