Priti Patel jokes over staging an exit

Former international development secretary Priti Patel joked about her “intensive course” over the past week “on how to stage an exit” as she backed the government’s Brexit plans.

Ms Patel’s comments provoked some laughter in the Commons as she addressed MPS from the backbenches.

Speaking during the second day of committee stage debate on the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, she said: “Of course I am speaking today in this debate following an intensive course over the past week, I think it’s fair to say, on how to stage an exit which was the focus of a degree of international attention.

“So for anyone who is still tracking my movements, it’s fair to say that I can confirm that as I walked into the chamber this afternoon I passed statues and portraits commemorating some of our greatest statesmen including Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill, statesmen who stood up and defended democracy, freedom and sovereignty of our great nation.”

Ms Patel was forced to quit over her unauthorised contacts with senior Israelis and was a high-profile campaigner for Leave in last year’s referendum.

The Witham MP was forced to cut short an official trip to Africa and return home for a showdown with Theresa May last Wednesday at which it was made clear her Cabinet career was over.