Grant Shapps hit out at Sadiq Khan and Sir Keir Starmer for “politicising” the Remembrance weekend with their interventions over Suella Braverman.
The Labour leader and the London Mayor have called for the Home Secretary to be sacked amid controversy over an article she wrote ahead of the pro-Palestine protest on Armistice Day.
But the Defence Secretary accused the pair of attempting to “politicise” the weekend and said their interventions were unhelpful.
He told GB News: “What we’re hearing this weekend is people trying to play politics with the serious points which are being made, which is it would of course, one, be better for people not to have protested and secondly, it’s very important that we see action taken.
“Our Home Secretary is perfectly within her rights to call for strict action to be taken, for the full force of the law to be used.
“I’m not really keen on the idea that in retrospect, whether it’s the leader of the opposition or the Labour London Mayor, that they then come in and try and politicise this weekend of all weekends.
“It should not be about politics. It should be about the men and women who given themselves for this country. That is what we should be talking about this weekend.”
Asked by host Camilla Tominey if the Home Secretary was playing politics as well, he said: “When you say playing politics, her job as Home Secretary is to make sure, quite properly, that the powers exist and then the powers are then used within the operational independence of the police to make sure the marches and protests are properly policed, and where the laws have been broken, as they clearly have been in some cases, that those prosecutions take place.
“That is what a Home Secretary is there for. Now, I wouldn’t quite put it in her language. It’s not the language I would have used, but the point still stands.
“I don’t think, whether it’s just Keir Starmer or the London Mayor coming in, I don’t think their contribution is particularly helpful.”
In an outspoken article for The Times on Thursday, Mrs Braverman branded pro-Palestinian protesters “hate marchers” and accused the Met Police of bias.
Rishi Sunak is facing calls to sack her after violent scenes erupted in London yesterday.
Far-right groups clashed with police at the Cenotaph on Saturday morning.
Meanwhile, there some anti-Semitic displays on the pro-Palestine march, with a breakaway group later firing fireworks at police and a mob chasing Michael Gove at Victoria Station.
In a comment piece in the Sunday Telegraph, Sir Keir said few public figures “have done more recently to whip up division”.
Meanwhile, Mr Khan said if the Prime Minister does not sack Ms Braverman, “he’s too weak or agrees with her”.
He wrote in the Sunday Mirror: “Sadly, these scenes were predictable after a week of efforts from some to stoke tension. “They were a direct result of the Home Secretary’s words and behaviour. If Suella Braverman had any honour she would resign – and if not, Rishi Sunak should sack her.”
