They insist that she speaks for “millions of voters” whose support the party will need in the next general election.
Allies fear MPs in the centrist One Nation group of Conservatives are determined to oust her. Suspicion is also pointed at the Whips’ Office.
A Tory insider said the Prime Minister is in a “deplorable position” because he will enrage the Right of the party if he sacks her but anger the Left if he leaves her in post.
Right-winger Mrs Braverman has come under fire since accusing the police of “double standards” when dealing with protesters and suggesting people are living in tents on the street as a “lifestyle choice”.
She made her opposition to the pro-Palestine protests clear, denouncing “hate marchers”.
Critics have claimed her words contributed to far-Right violence at yesterday’s march in London.
A crunch moment will come this week when the Supreme Court rules on the legality of her flagship plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. A former minister said Mrs Braverman will become a standard bearer for the Right if Rishi Sunak axes her as Home Secretary. “If he sacked her, how could she be anything else?” they said.
Stating they wanted her to lead the Conservatives one day, the senior MP added: “She is the hope for the party’s future.”
One ally of former PM Boris Johnson said the opposition to Mrs Braverman reminded them of how Mr Johnson was taken down.
A Tory in a marginal seat urged Mr Sunak to exercise “extreme caution”, saying: “She speaks for many Members of Parliament, she speaks for huge numbers of members and millions of voters.”
And a Red Wall MP added: “I think clearly the One Nation group find what she’s saying distasteful but I have to say I’ve had nothing but support from constituents.
“People are telling me, ‘This is exactly what we’re thinking and I’m happy somebody said it’.”
But a leading member of the One Nation group said: “There is no plot against her. Many people are very angry she has stoked up tension – but that’s not a plot.”
However, a supporter of the Home Secretary stressed that she was not stoking controversy to further her political career. “People who think she’s saying stuff just to court Tory opinion haven’t been listening to what she’s been saying for the last few years,” they said. “She really believes this stuff.”
If Mrs Braverman is ousted, leading contenders to replace her include Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick and Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove.
