Boris Johnson insists he ‘absolutely’ has full confidence in his under-fire Home Secretary Priti Patel as Labour demands he sack her over civil servant bullying row
- Mr Johnson said Ms Patel is ‘fantastic Home Secretary’ during visit to laboratory
- He added that he ‘absolutely’ has confidence in the under-fire Home Secretary
- His comments came as Ms Patel remained embroiled in row over bullying claims
The Prime Minister has insisted he ‘absolutely’ has full confidence in Priti Patel following allegations she led a campaign to oust the Home Office’s chief civil servant.
The Home Secretary was facing fresh calls to quit today as she remained embroiled in a furious political row over claims she bullied civil servants.
Speaking during a visit to a laboratory at the Public Health England National Infection Service in Colindale, north London, Boris Johnson gave his full support to Ms Patel in her role in ‘one of the toughest jobs in Government.’
‘I absolutely do have confidence in Priti Patel,’ he added. ‘I think she is a fantastic Home Secretary.’
‘It is never an easy job, as anyone who has been Home Secretary will testify. It is one of the toughest jobs in Government.
Speaking during a visit to a laboratory in Colindale, north London, Boris Johnson (pictured) gave his full support to Ms Patel in her role in ‘one of the toughest jobs in Government’
‘ I absolutely do have confidence in Priti Patel,’ he added. ‘I think she is a fantastic Home Secretary’
‘There is a big, big task ahead of us now. We are delivering, at last, a new immigration system for this country, a points-based immigration system.
‘That will take a lot of work by the Home Office, a fantastic department.’
It comes as allies of Ms Patel leapt to her defence this morning as Labour claimed she was on her way out of the department after clashing with mandarins.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said he could not see how Ms Patel could carry on after Permanent Secretary Sir Phillip Rutnam sensationally quit and said he would take the Government to court.
But Health Secretary Matt Hancock this morning defended his colleague’s leadership style.
He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme: ‘Priti is a very determined Home Secretary.
‘She is probably closer to where the public are on the issues of law and order than any home secretary in recent history. I think she drives things forward.
‘Now, I also think she is extremely courteous, and in every dealing I’ve had with her she has been very courteous.
Allies of the Home Secretary leapt to her defence this morning as Labour claimed she was on her way out of the department after clashing with mandarins.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock defended his colleague’s leadership style. He told Sky’s Ridge on Sunday: ‘Of course Priti is determined. That is right and that is what we want to see’
‘I can’t get into the details of the case, not least because it looks like it might be going to court and I’m not close to it.’
Sir Philip vowed to sue the Government for constructive dismissal after his name appeared on a ‘hitlist’ of senior civil servants that Downing Street wanted to sack that was leaked to the media.
It is understood that tensions in the Home Office came to a head in September after Sir Philip blocked a pre-Election announcement that Ms Patel wanted to roll out Tasers for police.
It was also felt at the top of Government that Sir Philip had been ‘a roadblock to change’ and has consistently tried to stymie reforms needed to get Britain ready for Brexit.
Asked if Ms Patel could continue as Home Secretary, shadow chancellor John McDonnell told Sky’s Ridge on Sunday: ‘I can’t see it, it’s bizarre.’
He added: ‘One of the ways the Prime Minister could go forward is to have an independent investigation but during that period you’d have to suspend the Home Secretary whilst that went on.’
One source claimed Sir Philip’s public civil war with the Home Secretary was ‘the only way to save face’ after his position became untenable
He added: ‘When you have a civil servant going public like this … I can’t remember a case like this so it must be something pretty serious that is going on.
‘It looks likely she is on the way out.’
But a source claimed Sir Philip’s public civil war with the Home Secretary was ‘the only way to save face’ after his position became untenable.
The explosive resignation came after simmering tensions between Ms Patel and her Permanent Secretary boiled to the surface last weekend, with various reports about a rift between the two.
And it comes amid growing tension between Boris Johnson’s Government and the Civil Service machine.