Rishi Sunak’s decision to reappoint Suella Braverman as home secretary is proving to be a major distraction for the Prime Minister.

It is not good for Braverman that some papers are calling her “leaky Sue”.

Most wounding of all for the Prime Minister was a revenge attack by Jake Berry, who was sacked from the prestigious position of chairman of the Conservative Party as one of Rishi’s first acts on taking office.

Braverman was forced to resign by Liz Truss after the home secretary admitted sending confidential documents using her private email account – something that Donald Trump had accused Hillary Clinton of doing the US presidential election in 2016. Hence the chant of Trump’s supporters, “Lock her up.”

It is not quite as bad for Braverman but Berry has questioned her account of what happened. She claims she owned up to her mistake and resigned. Berry alleges she admitted her mistake only when the incriminating evidence was put before her.

Either way, on Thursday, Berry set out to do as much damage to Rishi as possible.

Berry told Talk TV that Braverman’s document “was sent from a private email address to another MP. She then sought to copy in that individual’s wife and accidentally sent it to a staffer in Parliament.

“To me that seems a really serious breach, especially when it was documents relating to cybersecurity, as I believe.”

He repeated: “That seems a really serious breach. The Cabinet Secretary (Simon Case) had his say at the time. I doubt he’s changed his mind in the last six days, but that’s a matter for the new PM.”

Berry emphasised there had been “'multiple breaches of the ministerial code”.

He also queried Braverman’s version that she had “rapidly reported” her “mistake” to Whitehall officials.

“As I understand it, the evidence was put to her and she accepted the evidence, rather than the other way round,” Berry added.

Another Tory MP, Caroline Nokes, who supported Penny Mordaunt in the leadership contest, told BBC Radio Solent: “I think what is apparent is that there are big questions hanging over this whole issue. And to be frank I would like to see them cleared up so that the home secretary can get on with her job.”

Labour has launched an all-out attack on Rishi – using Braverman as ammunition.

Its position was summed by the shadow foreign secretary David Lammy: “I suspect that Suella Braverman, her position is now looking very, very fragile indeed. It is clear to me that she should be sacked and there should be a full inquiry into what has gone on.”

Braverman was defended by Nadhim Zahawi, who has replaced Berry as Conservative party chairman.

He told Sky News: “She admitted her mistake, she resigned. A new Prime Minister came in, looked at the information and decided that he wants to give her a second chance. I think that is the right decision. Redemption is a good thing.”

Zahawi refused to be drawn on reports that officials, including the cabinet secretary, expressed concern about Braverman’s reappointment so soon after her departure.

“Officials raise concerns and raise points with secretaries of state, with ministers, all the time. I think they should be allowed to do that,” he said.

A No 10 spokesperson denied reports that the cabinet secretary – the head of the civil service – was “livid” about the appointment.

Rishi, meanwhile, has carried on with his government reshuffle, this time as minister of state level.

He has demoted Boris backer Anne-Marie Trevelyan from transport secretary to a junior minister in the Foreign Office. Under Boris she was international trade secretary and had been involved in the negotiations for a trade agreement with India.

On Wednesday, Rishi hosted his first Diwali party at 10, Downing Street. He revealed that when he went to Buckingham Palace to see Charles, the King gifted him a box of Diwali mithai.

Rishi was greeted with loud cheers from some 200 guests, mostly leading members of the Indian community, in a flower decked 10, Downing Street.

Rishi, who lit diyas in Downing Street in 2020 when he was chancellor, admitted: “I haven’t done all the usual things that I do. I didn’t light any diyas (this year). (But) more importantly, I did manage to get to get to Leicester and get my mithai. You will be pleased to know, His Majesty King Charles did have Diwali mithai for me.”

He spoke of a country where all religions are equal: “To live in a country, journeys like mine, journeys like yours, are possible.”

He also stressed: “As I’ve said to many of you before, my story is your story.”

Some of the guests then moved on to the even more magnificent Diwali party at the palatial Hinduja mansions a short distance away in Carlton House Terrace. King Charles sent his personal Diwali greetings via his private secretary, Clive Alderton. The mayor Sadiq Khan spoke of making “Amar Akbar Anthony II” – “I am Muslim, King Charles is Christian, Rishi is Hindu. Only in this country can this happen.”