Tory HQ ‘ignored’ Patel bully claims
TORY chiefs ignored bullying claims against Home Secretary Priti Patel, we can reveal.
The Government handed a former aide to Patel a £25,000 payout after she claimed she was bullied by the then employment minister.
Our sister paper The Mirror has been told that she also complained to Tory Party HQ – but received no response.
Legal notes, seen by the BBC, allege the woman took an overdose of prescription medicine after a 2015 incident involving Patel.
The Home Secretary faces a Cabinet Office probe on claims over treatment of officials in three departments during her ministerial career.
Labour yesterday accused Boris Johnson of “covering up” bullying and
The case involving alleged bullying of the aide at the Department for Work and Pensions then emerged.
A third claim involved Patel’s time as International Development Secretary, during which she allegedly harassed and belittled her private secretary so badly he was signed off with stress after six months.
Patel denies bullying and her allies claim “disturbing dark forces” are trying to get her sacked.
A Home Office spokesman said: “The home secretary categorically rejects all of these allegations.”
Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill will face questioning from the Commons Public Administration Committee on Tuesday.
He’s expected to face questions on the behaviour of both Patel and adviser to No10 Dominic Cummings.