Suella Braverman's leadership ambition a problem of Rishi Sunak's own making

The Home Secretary wants to be the next Tory leader, and the Prime Minister has done nothing to stop her.

Rishi Sunak is a weak Prime Minister and has repeatedly protected a Home Secretary who is very clearly trying to replace him. Suella Braverman’s latest controversy involves an article in which she accused the police of bias, compared the protest marches to Northern Ireland and labelled attendees a “pro-Palestinian mob”.

Her comments were incendiary, unprofessional and yet another headache for a Government in freefall. Not signed off by Downing Street, they are the latest example of the Home Secretary going into business for herself, putting her brand above that of the Conservative party.

Not content with forcing her colleagues to face questions about homelessness being a lifestyle choice, MPs and ministers are now using their broadcast appearances not to discuss issues, but whether or not Ms Braverman should be sacked.

It’s the same for Downing Street, who now face the unedifying spectacle of airing just how damaged relations between the two are, already soured by Ms Braverman treating Tory conference as an audition to be the next leader of the opposition. When Mr Sunak is looking for a reset, the Home Secretary would rather just pull the plug.

This week's lobby briefings were a farce, Downing Street so clearly livid that Ms Braverman had gone off-piste, yet again, but unable to say it outright, or indeed offer anything to explain how the article came to pass. Had she breached the ministerial code? Downing Street can’t say. How did this happen? Downing Street can’t say? Do Ms Braverman and Mr Sunak have a good working relationship? Downing Street can’t say yes.

What’s most galling for Tory MPs is, despite all the angry rhetoric, Ms Braverman isn’t even considered good at her job. Net migration is not coming down despite pledges otherwise, and the expensive Rwanda scheme could be dead in the courts by Wednesday. She was not appointed for her competency.

Instead, it was for the outrage, with Mr Sunak needing an ally on the Tory right who could calm the nerves of those furious at his apparent betrayal of Boris Johnson, or those who never wanted Liz Truss to stand down.But, as when she was sacked for leaking sensitive documents to her secret adviser John Hayes, or when Ms Braverman was caught asking civil servants to help her keep a speeding ticket private, the Home Secretary is a magnet for scandal. Whether it’s attacking the civil service for literally anything, or damaging a trade deal with India by warning about its people coming to Britain, there is always something. This is a bull in a china shop, not a minister of state bound by collective responsibility.Her latest scandal is the mean, not the outlier, but he hoped for the approval among the Tory right she brings. But in putting party unity ahead of governance, he has created a rival daring him to sack her, believing she holds a strong hand regardless.

Sitting on 25 per cent in the polls, and facing another week of questions about Ms Braverman, the Prime Minister may wonder why he as the tortoise keeps carrying a scorpion on his back across the river.