Minister backs Met Commissioner after calls for him to quit over protest row

Claire Coutinho said she does not think Sir Mark Rowley should resign as Metropolitan Police Commissioner over the force’s handling of pro-Palestinian protests. Having previously declined to express a view, the Energy Security Secretary told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “I personally wouldn’t go that far because I haven’t had the conversations with him." Both the Campaign Against Antisemitism and former home secretary Suella Braverman have called for Sir Mark to resign or be sacked, accusing him of having “emboldened” antisemites.