BORIS JOHNSON has strongly defended Priti Patel, reiterating that she was doing an “outstanding job” as home secretary.
The prime minister turned combative as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn termed Patel’s alleged behavior at work as “shocking” and “unacceptable” during PMQs today (4).
Johnson fired back that Patel was “keeping the country safe”.
“The Home Secretary is doing an outstanding job—delivering change, putting police on the streets, cutting crime and delivering a new immigration system—and I'm sticking by her,” he said.
He also struck back at Labour, saying: “I take no lessons on bullying from a party where female MPs were bullied so badly on anti-Semitism that they actually left the party and where the shadow chancellor has still not apologised for a member of our party to be lynched.”
On Corbyn’s question whether the prime minister was aware of the allegations against Patel, Johnson said: “I have every confidence in her. If there are allegations, of course it’s right they should be properly investigated by the Cabinet Office, and that is what is happening.”
The prime minister had ordered a Cabinet Office probe into allegations against the home secretary as Sir Philip Rutnam resigned as permanent secretary, claiming that he was the “target of a vicious and orchestrated campaign”.
He accused Patel of behind-the-scene machinations, and “bullying” officials.
“I have received allegations that her conduct has included shouting and swearing, belittling people, making unreasonable and repeated demands–behaviour that created fear and that needed some bravery to call out,” he said.
The home secretary’s spokesperson maintained that Patel “categorically denied” all the allegations against her.
And Patel, whose husband called her a “piranha” for being “quite small and combative”, has so far not commented on any of the allegations.
However, a joint internal email sent by Patel and acting permanent secretary Shona Dunn said: “We both regret Sir Philip’s decision to resign. We both deeply value the work that every person in this department does and care about the well-being of all our staff.”
Johnson’s support for Patel in the House of Commons came at a time when she was facing a “tsunami” of allegations on her official conduct.
The latest charge against Patel was of humiliating civil servants and fostering “a sense that everyone is hopeless” while she was in charge of the Department for International Development in 2017.
She was accused of “ridiculing and belittling staff”, and exerting “heavy pressure” through emails.
Two senior civil servants at DfID reportedly said they knew of bullying complaints against Patel.
This “tsunami” hit the home secretary a day after a report claimed a former aide at the Department for Works and Pensions had overdosed on prescription drugs following a dressing-down by Patel, when she was employment minister in 2015.
The report also alleged that the civil servant was given a £25,000 settlement after her dismissal.
Patel’s allies, however, termed the accusations “ludicrous”.
“This person at the DWP only worked for Priti for two weeks and was already in the process of quitting when Priti took over as employment minister,” said a source close to the home secretary.
“The accusations of bullying were made against the department not Priti, and the payout [to the member of staff] was made by the Civil Service which, by the way, mishandled her case entirely. It was nothing to do with Priti at all.”
A Tory source said: “What we are seeing is a concerted effort by certain sections of the civil service to undermine a home secretary trying to deliver what people want on crime and immigration.
“It is deeply disturbing that dark forces are trying to influence the findings of a Cabinet Office inquiry.”
A Labour spokesperson later claimed “government staff” were contacting the party’s office “directly with information and allegations about bullying in the Home Office by Priti Patel”.
“It is quite clear this is not an isolated allegation by one individual about one incident or one set of incidents,” the spokesperson added.
A top civil servant wrote in the Guardian that “it might not be a stretch to say that this feels like a sort of #MeToo moment for the civil service”.
“Those who, like me, have been around government for several years reckon more allegations are on the way”.
Former minister Nusrat Ghani, meanwhile, hinted at sexism as she backed Patel: “She is incredibly determined. Within men that is seen as a fantastic skill and for women sometimes it’s seen as challenging.”
Sarah Pochin (Photo: UK Parliament)