News / Politics

Johnson backs ‘bullying’ and ‘vicious’ Patel

Sunday, 01 March 2020 7:08 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 01 March 2020 7:12 PM ]

Priti Patel (R) reduced the Home Office's top civil servant, Sir Philip Rutnam (L), to tears

Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has come out in strong support of his controversial Home Secretary, Priti Patel, barely a day after she was accused of “bullying” and orchestrating a “vicious” campaign against top Home Office civil servants.

The accusations were made yesterday by Sir Philip Rutnam, the Home Office’s top civil servant, in an emotional televised statement.

Top Home Office civil servant quits in a fit of emotion

The effective boss of the Home Office has quit in dramatic fashion and in the process made the position of the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, more precarious than ever.

Speaking during a visit to Public Health England in north London, the PM said he "absolutely" has confidence in the Home Secretary.

"I think she's a fantastic home secretary … Anybody who's been home secretary will testify that is one of the toughest jobs in government", Johnson added.

The PM’s spirited defence of Patel comes against the backdrop of mounting evidence of the Home Secretary’s bullying leadership style.

The BBC is reporting that a formal complaint about Patel’s bullying conduct was made when she was employment minister in 2015-2016.

In addition to falling out with the top civil servants in the Home Office, Patel has also made headlines by locking horns with the powerful bosses of MI5, Britain’s domestic security service.

MI5 bosses reported to be wary of 'bullying' and over-ambitious Patel

The chiefs of the British Security Service, MI5, are reportedly wary of the hardline Home Secretary, Priti Patel, who has extensive ties to Israeli leaders and politicians.

MI5 bosses are reportedly wary of Patel’s far-reaching ambitions and regard her as a potential national security threat in view of her strong ties to political leaders in Israel and her home country, India.

By coming to Patel’s defence, Johnson not only risks further destabilizing the Home Office but more importantly he stands to further demoralise MI5 which is reeling under recent counter-terror and counter-intelligence setbacks.

The PM also runs the risks of provoking the Queen’s ire following the monarch’s publicised visit to MI5 HQ on February 25.

Queen makes first public visit to MI5 HQ to raise declining morale

In her first official visit to MI5 HQ, the Queen goes out of her way to raise the Security Service

Despite her uneasy relationship with MI5, the Queen is anxious to raise the service’s morale, if only to keep threats to British sovereignty and territorial integrity at bay.