CONSERVATIVE MP Priti Patel, DBE, representing the Witham constituency in Essex, is regarded as one of the outstanding politicians of the age – or at least is considered so by many in her party and some sections of the country at large. She has more than 13 years of service as an MP and was at the very top of the political greasy pole – serving three different Tory prime ministers. She is now actively involved in various developmental initiatives within her region.
Honoured with the title of Dame Command er of the Order of the British Empire at a ceremony in Windsor, Patel’s significant contributions to public service and impactful work as Home Secretary were underscored. She is one of the few Dames from an ethnic background – and one of the few from a career in politics. “Receiving this honour is deeply humbling, and I am grateful to my constituents for the opportunity they have given me to serve them,” Patel remarked of the honour During her tenure as home secretary from July 2019 to September 2022, Patel significantly influenced UK politics, particularly in shaping key policy frameworks. She played a pivotal role in reshaping the country’s immigration laws.
Some of the accomplishments in her ministerial term include the implementation of a points-based immigration system, securing a Rwanda asylum deal to manage English Channel migrant crossings, enacting the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Act 2022, and facilitating Julian Assange’s extradition to the US – which is still ongoing at the time of publication. Patel entered Parliament in 2010 and gained prominence as a key figure in the 2016 Vote Leave campaign for Brexit. Early in her career, former prime minister David Cameron appointed her as a champion for the Indian diaspora, a role that concluded with his departure. She became exchequer secretary to the Treasury in 2014, and following the general elections in 2015, was promoted to minister of state for employment, with a seat in cabinet meetings. In 2017, under Theresa May’s leadership, Patel became the secretary of State for International Development, a role that later merged into the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). However, her tenure ended abruptly in November 2017 due to her resignation over undisclosed meetings with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials during a private trip to Israel.
Despite a brief return to the backbenches, Patel quickly made a political comeback, show casing her resilience and commitment to public service. After Theresa May’s departure, Boris Johnson succeeded her as prime minis ter. Recognising Patel’s popularity among certain rank and-file Conservatives, particularly those involved in Brexit, Johnson rein stated her into the Cabinet as home secretary in the summer of 2019. Despite formidable challenges posed by immigration and asylum, Patel has remained resolute in her policy decisions. In December 2020, the government implemented a points-based immigration system and introduced the Skilled Worker Visa, marking the UK’s most significant shift in immigration policy to date. In her May 2021 immigration speech, drawing from her own immigrant back ground, Patel stressed the importance of ‘fairness’ and combating illegal entry, while acknowledging immigration’s positive impact on the UK, stating, “Immigration has and continues to enrich our nation immeasurably”.
Patel launched a new plan for Immigration to ad dress the asylum system’s ‘pull factors’ and, in April 2022, signed a landmark Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda. Despite facing ‘anti-immigrant’ accusations, Patel firmly denied these claims, asserting her policies aim for fairness and control rather than hostility toward immigrants. Patel comes from a lineage of immigrant shopkeepers. Her parents, Sushil and Anjana, who were born in India, ran a convenience store in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, before relocating to the UK in the 1960s and settling in Hertfordshire. In Britain, her parents demonstrated their entrepreneurial spirit by establishing a chain of stores. During her tenure as home secretary, Patel made it a priority to address abuse and violence against shop workers. She advocated legislative measures, including categorising as saults on shop workers as aggravated offences under the PCSC Act, resulting in stricter penal ties for offenders. Highlighting her personal connection to the issue, Patel underscored the essential role of shopkeepers within communities, particularly during the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
She reiterated her dedication to combating violence and abuse against shop workers, pushing for the swift apprehension and punishment of perpetrators. Just hours after Liz Truss was elected UK prime minister, succeeding Boris Johnson, Patel announced her decision to step down and serve from the ‘backbenches’ of the Witham constituency. She continues to be active locally – housing development schemes in Witham town, anti-littering campaigns, road safety issues, health concerns, rebuilding schools, school transportation, business flourishing steps, airport development and domestic abuse issues as well as backing Hong Kong nationals, has all come under her purview at a constituency level. Openly accusing the government of secrecy, Patel recently raised concerns about plans to house asylum seekers at an ex-RAF base near Witham.
The Daily Telegraph reported intentions to utilise the Wethersfield site in Essex for up to five years. Patel expressed frustration, stating she had repeatedly sought a timeframe but found the Home Office to be ‘evasive.’ While the Home Office defended the use of military sites for accommodation citing cost-effectiveness and orderliness, the decision faced criticism from charities and the local council. The lack of clarity regarding the site’s duration prompted Patel to demand clear answers from then home secretary Suella Braverman and former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, emphasising the importance of transparency. Patel’s educational journey started at a com prehensive school in Watford, followed by studies in economics at Keele University and postgraduate studies in British government and politics at the University of Essex. Patel married Alex Sawyer in 2004, and together they have a son.