Top civil servant plays down bullying code in the wake of Patel row

MINISTERS ARE expected to behave “professionally and courteously” in their dealings with their officials, the head of the Civil Service has said.

Sir Mark Sedwill, the Cabinet Secretary, said the breakdown in relations between Home Secretary Priti Patel and her top official, Sir Philip Rutnam, had been “very regrettable”.

But giving evidence to the Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee yesterday, Sir Mark played down suggestions that a definition of bullying should now be included in the ministerial code.

Sir Philip dramatically resigned last month as permanent secretary at the Home Office, accusing Ms Patel of bullying staff and announcing that he intended to sue for constructive dismissal.

It subsequently emerged that Ms Patel – who is now facing a Cabinet Office investigation – had faced similar allegations while she was a minister in the Department for International Development and the Department for Work and Pensions. She denies the claims against her.

Sir Mark said that differences between Ministers and their senior officials were normally resolved in private. When they could not be overcome, it was his job to step in to “restore harmony”.

“I think this is clearly a very regrettable incident. I regret Philip Rutnam’s decision to resign and hoped it could have been avoided. We have to allow that case and indeed the other investigation to take their course,” he said.

“I don’t think we should necessarily try to write further regulations around relationships when the vast majority of cases are conducted professionally and in accordance with both the letter and the spirit of the various codes.”