Suella Braverman warns Britain is being ‘ripped aside’ by range insurance policies as she vows to abolish the Equalities Office (and her personal job) if Reform UK win energy

Former home secretary Suella Braverman today warned Britain is being ‘ripped apart’ by diversity, equality and inclusion policies.

The Reform UK MP, who defected from the Tories last month, vowed to ‘repeal the Equality Act’ on day one if her party wins the next general election.

It came as Mrs Braverman was unveiled as Reform’s new ‘shadow education and skills secretary’ as party leader Nigel Farage announced his top team.

Mrs Braverman was also named as the party’s spokeswoman for equalities, and vowed to immediately abolish her own job under a Reform government.

Speaking alongside Mr Farage and other senior Reform figures at an event in London, she said: ‘Do you know what a Reform government will do?

‘Well, on day one, we will get rid of the equalities department, we will scrap the equalities minister – yes, I’m doing myself out of a job! And we will repeal the Equality Act.

‘Because we are going to work to build a country defined by meritocracy not tokenism, personal responsibility not victimhood, excellence not mediocrity, and unity not division.’

Mrs Braverman, who was twice sacked as home secretary under the previous Tory government, added: ‘The Britain that I love is being ripped apart by diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI).

‘Because the truth is, that DEI has become less about diversity and more about conforming to left-wing ideology.

‘Less about equality and more about prejudice against white people. Less about inclusion and more about exclusion of those who dare to challenge the dogma.

‘Why was it acceptable for white, Christian men to be discriminated against by the Sentencing Council?

‘Why did nobody do anything for years when the police turned a blind eye when thousands of white working-class girls were being systematically raped by largely Pakistani Muslim grooming gangs?

‘Why does no one in this Government seem to care that it’s white working-class boys who have the worst educational outcomes in our country today?’

As well as appointing Mrs Braverman to his top team, Mr Farage also handed key roles to fellow Tory defector Robert Jenrick, as well as Zia Yusuf and Richard Tice.

Asked about the fact that all four of those given jobs today by Mr Farage went to private school, Mrs Braverman later told GB News: ‘I wouldn’t call myself posh.

‘I went to both a state school and a private school in the 1980s and the 1990s. It cost a fraction of what it does today, I would say.

‘I’d just say this about my parents – they came to his country with nothing, they’re working-class people… they sacrificed everything to give me a good education.’

Mrs Braverman also denied there were tensions between Reform’s MPs about what roles they were being given.

‘Contrary to what is very typical in the Conservative Party, I would say, which is a lot of jostling, a lot of powerplays, I am very, very honoured to have this role,’ she added.

‘I am really chuffed for Richard, Zia and Robert with the briefs that they’ve been handed – I feel part of a great team.’

Responding to Mrs Braverman’s announcement that Reform would repeal the Equality Act on day one, TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: ‘It’s official – Reform UK think discrimination should be legal.

‘Scrapping the Equality Act would be a sledgehammer to hard-won rights working people fought for over generations.

‘If you’re discriminated against because you’re a woman, black, disabled, pregnant or gay – that’s fine with them.

‘This is a blank cheque for bad employers to mistreat their staff. And it wouldn’t stop there. Scrapping the Equality Act would just be the start.

‘From ripping up equality protections, to backing fire-and-rehire, to opposing a ban on zero-hours contracts, Reform UK have made it clear whose side they’re on – and it’s not working people.’

Kevin Hollinrake, the Tory chairman, claimed Mr Farage had merely unveiled a ‘tribute act to the old Conservative Party’.

‘After months of infighting and leaks, Nigel Farage has unveiled a front bench dominated by ex-Conservatives – a line-up that looks more like a tribute act to the old Conservative Party than a credible alternative,’ he said.

‘Even now, some are already eyeing their next career move, while others who were clearly expecting promotion have been left out in the cold.

‘Today’s underwhelming announcement proves Reform remains a one-man band. 

‘Only the Conservatives, under Kemi Badenoch, have the depth, experience and serious plan to Get Britain Working Again.’

Labour chair Anna Turley hit out at Mr Farage’s ‘top team of failed Tories’.

‘Farage’s top team of failed Tories spent over 3,000 days inflicting untold damage on our country in government, trashing our economy, hammering families’ mortgages, and leaving our borders open,’ she said.

‘They failed Britain before – they’d do the same again under Reform. Today’s appointments clearly reveal that neither keeping our nation safe nor tackling NHS waiting lists are priorities for Farage or Reform UK.

‘Only Keir Starmer’s Labour Government is delivering on the people’s priorities by tackling the cost of living and cutting NHS waiting lists.’