A very Priti power grab

THE HOME OFFICE spat that has seen the ousting of Sir Philip Rutnam and his intemperate reply is the tip of an iceberg. There is more to come and not necessarily from that ministry alone. Whenever we have one, let alone two, weak governments, a power vacuum develops. Into it, like hungry piranhas, move the civil service mandarins. The incumbencies of Cameron and May in succession did exactly that. Now comes a Government with a huge mandate, years of unchallengeable supremacy yet to run and it wants that power back. Think back to the TV comedies Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. They were so accurate they might have been classed as documentaries. This is what is happening and the mandarins hate it. That the Home Office should be the first to explode is not surprising.

Home Secretary Priti Patel, left, is of parentage that fled Idi Amin-ruled Uganda to save their lives. Their daughter is brainy, tough and ambitious – and an original Brexiteer to boot. Anyone more likely to offend EU fanatic, prickly and not-very-bright (his record is studded with mistakes) Rutnam would be hard to find. Putting them in the same room, let alone the same ministry, is like dropping a match into gunpowder. Boris Johnson will support Ms Patel because the return of real power from the mandarins to our elected Government is his avowed policy. Cabinet Secretary wily Sir Mark Sedwill, president of the Special Forces Club (which should tell you something), has not exactly gone overboard for the departed Rutnam. Come back, Machiavelli, all is forgiven. Now Sir Philip says he intends to sue the Government. As they tell optimists trying to make pigs fly, good luck with that one.