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Rishi Sunak is facing a backlash from right-wing Tory MPs with a warning that Suella Braverman’s sacking as part of a shock cabinet reshuffle is a mistake.

The PM ousted his home secretary after days of pressure over her claim of police bias in favour of pro-Palestinian protesters, her attack on “hate marches” and description of homelessness as a “lifestyle choice”.

And, in a stunning return to frontline politics, Mr Sunak appointed moderate former PM David Cameron as his new foreign secretary, with James Cleverly becoming home secretary.

But Mr Sunak has been told to “prepare for war” – warned that the move could provoke a full-scale revolt by more than 50 of her right-wing supporters keen for her to succeed Mr Sunak as party leader.

Ms Braverman’s spoke out against the decision, with ex-business secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg saying he had made a “mistake”.

The former business secretary said Ms Braverman “understands what the country thinks about migration” and was “committed to delivering something that the country thinks is important”.

“From the point of view of the Conservatives winning the next election, today is a mistake because Suella understood what the British voter thought and was trying to do something about it,” he told GB News.

Mr Sunak faced weeks of warnings that sacking Ms Braverman – a key figure on the right of the party – would spark a rebellion of backbench MPs.

The chair of Tory members’ group the Conservative Democratic Organisation warned it would be a “kamikaze move” and said Mr Sunak “may as well put in 54 no-confidence letters himself”.

David Campbell Bannerman said on Monday that Conservative MPs were organising behind the scenes and “the numbers are now there” for a no confidence vote in Mr Sunak.

If 54 backbench Tories submit letters of no confidence to the 1922 committee, Mr Sunak would face a confidence vote in his leadership. But moderate Tory MPs dismissed the claims, and suggested the number of MPs who back Ms Braverman was much lower.

He told GB News: “Rishi Sunak better prepare for war I think because of course she is very much, Suella, the standard bearer of the right of the party.”

However, senior Tory MP Stephen Hammond has said the right-wingers angry about Ms Braverman’s sacking don’t have the numbers to oust Mr Sunak, despite claims more than 50 are ready to send no-confidence letters in the PM.

They added: “The appetite for another vote of no confidence is virtually non-existent and basically everybody agrees that if we do that again we might as well dissolve the party as it will be 100 years before we are taken seriously again.”

It also raises questions about Mr Sunak’s bid to paint himself as the candidate of change ahead of a general election expected next year.

The PM used his Tory conference speech to condemn 30 years of failed “status quo” politics, in which Mr Cameron played a significant role.

“This puts to bed the prime minister’s laughable claim to offer change from 13 years of Tory failure.”

VOCABULARY.

1. A BACKLASH – отрицательная обратная реакция

2. TO OUST – вытеснять, выгонять

3. A REVOLT/TO REVOLT – мятеж, бунт, возмущение

4. TO SPARK – спровоцировать, вызвать

5. TO PAINT ONESELF AS SMTH/SMB – представить себя кем-то

6. Status quo state is a term from power transition theory within the wider field of international relations. It is used to describe states, that unlike revisionist states, see the international system of states, international law and often even free market economics as integral aspects of the international spectrum that should be upheld (статус-кво)