Patel allies in demand for apology over bully claims
Supporters of the Home Secretary ask her critics to be held to account if she is cleared by investigation
ALLIES of Priti Patel demanded that critics who accused her of bullying staff be held to account and apologise, as she is expected to be cleared of the allegations.
Tory MPS said civil servants needed to maintain their impartiality and accept the authority of ministers rather than seek to undermine them as happened with the Home Secretary.
The comments came after the disclosure by The Daily Telegraph that an investigation overseen by the Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill has found no evidence to support claims that she bullied staff in three departments where she has been a minister or that she breached the ministerial code.
The Cabinet Office “review of the facts” followed the resignation of Sir Philip Rutnam, who is suing for constructive dismissal after accusing Ms Patel of bullying staff and alleging that he was the victim of a “vicious and orchestrated” briefing campaign.
The review, ordered by Boris Johnson and completed within the last week, is being considered by the Prime Minister with a decision expected within days and possibly as early as today.
Yesterday Labour wrote to Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office Minister, demanding that the findings of the inquiry should be published so the public could be “completely assured” over the conduct of senior ministers.
However, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative leader, said the Government should “jump” on the issue and bring to account those who had an “ulterior motive” for spinning out the allegations.
Steve Baker, a former chair of the European Research Group (ERG), said: “The impression was given that the civil servants were trying to get rid of the Home Secretary. Many commentators took it that way. What I want is an impartial civil service that accepts ministerial appointments and follows the law, but we have had too many instances recently where that seems to have been challenged.
“One was with Priti, another was an apparent challenge to the fixed length of the implementation period in law. It is time for everyone in Government to respect collective responsibility and the degree of privacy that goes along with it.”
Mark Francois, chairman of the ERG, said: “As a firm supporter of the Home Secretary throughout this episode I am glad that she has been completely exonerated. Critically, she has been democratically elected to help implement a manifesto; my challenge to her internal critics, some of whom must now be feeling pretty silly is: ‘who voted for you?’”
Former MEP Daniel Hannan said the Home Office officials who briefed against Ms Patel “owed her an apology”.
The Prime Minister said at the time he was “sticking with Priti” following claims that she bullied staff at the Home Office, Department for Work and Pensions and Department for International Trade.
The Cabinet Office report is not expected to be published, but it is likely that Sir Philip’s legal team will seek to have it submitted as evidence in his industrial tribunal action because of evidence that might have been uncovered in the investigation.
Dave Penman, general secretary of the First Division Association, which is supporting Sir Philip, said the process for investigating complaints against ministers lacked independence.
Following Tuesday’s leak to The Telegraph, he said: “If the Home Secretary is indeed cleared by the Prime Minister, this decision has been undermined by this process. Only a fully independent and transparent process can give confidence to those who may need to complain and those who may feel they have been falsely accused.”
A former Home Office official said the timing of Sir Philip’s constructive dismissal letter and Labour’s demand for the findings to be published suggested links: “The timing is just too convenient and it is now becoming very party political.”