Why did Minister hold secretive Israel talks?

Patel met political leader & charity with Lord Polak

LABOUR has called for a probe into whether a Cabinet Minister broke ministerial rules by holding undisclosed meetings in Israel.

International Development Secretary Priti Patel broke off from a summer holiday there to meet Yair Lapid, leader of the country’s centrist Yesh Atid party.

Days later she visited disability charity Beit Issie Shapiro accompanied by Lord Polak, the honorary chairman of Conservative Friends of Israel.

Boss Jean Judes posted a snap of their visit online, writing that “as director of the Department for International Development” Ms Patel had told of hopes of a “long-term relationship” with the charity.

Ms Patel, a supporter of Israel, broke with convention by not telling the Foreign Office before holding the meetings. There is no evidence she broke any rules. But Lib Dem International Development spokeswoman Shas Sheehan called it “a grave error of judgement”.

And an ex-minister said: “What does it say to the rest of the Middle East?”

Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Jon Trickett wrote to the Prime Minister asking if Ms Patel had broken the ministerial code, saying: “The public have legitimate concerns about whether politicians live up to the high standards demanded of them, and about influence of lobbyists over formation of policy.”

The Foreign Office and DFID would not comment. But a department source said: “She was on a private holiday which she paid for herself and that’s it.”

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “It was a private holiday she paid for herself. No investigation is taking place.”

Lord Polak insisted the meetings were informal and “all very innocent”.

CALL Jon Trickett MEETINGS Ms Patel was on summer break in Israel POLITICIAN Meeting Yair Lapid CHARITY Patel and Lord Polak, left