Nick Robinson's scathing review of Suella Braverman resurfaces ahead of general election

As Conservative Party candidates wrestle with the possibility of a significant electoral defeat on 4 July, including the loss of major Tory names like Suella Braverman and Kemi Badenoch, a clip of the former home secretary (Braverman) being grilled by BBC broadcaster Nick Robinson has resurfaced online.

The recording’s reemergence also follows Braverman telling The Times this week that Reform UK leader Nigel Farage “should be welcomed” by her party as there isn’t “much difference really between him and many of the policies that we stand for”.

Farage has shut down the idea of rejoining the Conservatives (he was previously a member), saying “I don’t think so” when he was asked about it during a party press conference.

“What they’ve done, allowing nearly two-and-a-half million people to settle in the country in the last two years is most certainly not our policy.

“So I do like her, I do admire her, but I’m afraid at the moment all marriage plans are off … She can join Reform after the election,” he said.

And Sunak has dismissed the idea of Reform UK and the Conservatives sharing similar values, stating: “I’m not really interested in Reform, quite frankly. I’m interested in delivering for the British people with the agenda that I’m setting out.”

As for Nick Robinson’s remarks, back in December, amid all the political discourse around the Conservative Party’s controversial plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, the Today host gave a pretty scathing review of the former home secretary’s prior comments on a range of topics.

He said: “You’ve condemned the leader of your party’s uncertain, weak and lacking in leadership; you’ve said he never had any intention of keeping his promises; you’ve accused him of betrayal and wishful thinking; you’ve attacked lawyers, judges, civil servants, the head of the Metropolitan Police, people who are worried about deaths in Gaza; you’ve attacked the homeless; you’ve attacked migrants as being part of an invasion…

“Isn’t the truth you’re a headline grabber, who does it by spreading poison, even within your own party?”

Braverman replies: “The truth is that when I served as home secretary I sought to be honest; honest to the British people, honest for the British people, and sometimes honesty is uncomfortable.

“But I’m not going to shy away from telling people how it is and from plain speaking, and if that upsets polite society then I’m sorry about that.”

In another question, Robinson asks: “If it’s necessary to tell it how it is, wouldn’t the honest answer be to say it’s always all about you?”

The harsh questioning has been praised by those on Twitter/X:

The Fareham MP was re-elected in 2019 with a majority of more than 23,000 votes.

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