The prime minister will meet Sir Mark Rowley to discuss the planned protest, which is set to go ahead on 11 November, later on Wednesday.

Sky News understands Sir Mark has pulled out of a Q&A event with the Institute for Government (IFG) in order to make the meeting.

It comes a day after he resisted pressure heaped on the force by politicians to try to block the protest, which will call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

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Speaking during a visit to a school in Lincolnshire on Wednesday, the prime minister said: "This is a decision that the Metropolitan Police commissioner has made.

"He has said that he can ensure that we safeguard remembrance for the country this weekend as well as keep the public safe.

"Now, my job is to hold him accountable for that."

He added: "We've asked the police for information on how they will ensure that this happens.

"More broadly, my view is that these marches are disrespectful and that's what I'll be discussing with the police commissioner."

Sir Mark said the demonstration on Saturday would go ahead because the "legal threshold" to stop it on security grounds "had not been met".

The commissioner said people "should be very reassured that we're going to keep this away from the remembrance and armistice events" but that legally, there was "no mechanism to ban a gathering, a static protest".

Mr Sunak's comments come after Steve Barclay, the health secretary, told Sky News that 11 November was the "wrong day" for protest action in London and "there'll be ongoing discussions on this".

Downing Street denied seeking to put pressure on the Met, who are operationally independent, insisting the meeting is about "seeking assurances" that their approach is "robust".

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However, Mr Sunak's official spokesman said Sir Mark's position is "not the end point" and can be kept under review "as the intelligence picture evolves throughout the week".

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said while Remembrance events should be respected "the person the PM needs to hold accountable is his home secretary".

"Picking a fight with the police instead of working with them is cowardice," he said on X.

"The Tories put party before country. Labour will deliver the change Britain needs."

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has been criticised for divisive language in recent days, including calling Pro-Palestinian demonstrations "hate marches".

Protesters 'have no intention of disrupting remembrance events'

Tens of thousands have demonstrated in London in recent weeks over Palestinian deaths in the Israel-Hamas war, with 29 arrests during a fourth week of protests last Saturday, during which fireworks were thrown.

Organisers of Saturday's protest say it will be "well away" from the Cenotaph, instead going from Hyde Park to the US embassy, and that it won't start until after the 11am silence.

Senior Labour MP John McDonnell, who will attend, urged Mr Sunak not to "politicise" the Met by "interfering" with its decision over the "march for peace and a ceasefire".

The Met had urged organisers to "urgently reconsider" the event because of a risk of violence, but the pro-Palestinian coalition behind it has refused to call it off.

Police chief explains why protest will go ahead

Police can ask the home secretary to approve a ban under the Public Order Act if they believe there will be serious public disorder, serious criminal damage, or serious disruption to the community.

However, Sir Mark said the use of this power is "incredibly rare" and must be reserved for cases where there is intelligence to suggest a "real threat" of trouble.

In a statement, he said: "The organisers have shown complete willingness to stay away from the Cenotaph and Whitehall and have no intention of disrupting the nation's remembrance events.

"Should this change, we've been clear we will use powers and conditions available to us to protect locations and events of national importance at all costs."

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Mayor of London Sadiq Khan was not invited to the meeting between Sir Mark and the prime minister.

But a spokesman for the senior Labour figure said he supported the protest going ahead.

"The right to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy, and the vast majority of those protesting over the last few weeks have done so peacefully and lawfully," the mayor's spokesman said.

"Sadiq has been clear that the police will move against anyone found breaking the law, including taking strong action against anyone committing a hate crime."