Hancock defends Patel as bullying storm worsens
Senior civil servant quit claiming a ‘vicious and orchestrated’ campaign against him
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has described Priti Patel as “courteous" following bullying claims made by the former top civil servant in her department.
The defence came after Philip Rutnam, the Home Office's most senior official, hit the headlines when he resigned on Saturday blaming a “vicious and orchestrated” campaign against him.
Rutnam said he received allegations that Patel's conduct towards employees included “swearing, belittling people, making unreasonable and repeated demands”. He said he now intended to take legal action against the Home Office on the basis of constructive dismissal.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“This has been a very difficult decision but I hope that my stand may help in maintaining the quality of government in our country – which includes hundreds of thousands of civil servants, loyally dedicated to delivering this government’s agenda,” he said.
Allegations that Patel bullied staff emerged two weeks ago in The Times, which reported she had been accused of belittling officials in meetings, making unreasonable demands and creating an “atmosphere of fear”. Then, The Guardian reported that she was accused of emerging from an office saying: “Why is everyone so f***ing useless?”
Rutnam claims that in the wake of these reports he was briefed against by sources said to be from either Downing Street or allies of Patel. He was accused of being unable to do his job, of being undeserving of his pension, and was compared to Eeyore, the ponderous donkey character from AA Milne’s Winnie the Pooh.
Meanwhile, the BBC reports that a formal complaint about Patel's conduct was made when she was employment minister at the Department for Work and Pensions.
Although a spokesman for Patel said she was “not aware” of the complaint, a Whitehall insider said she had created a "hostile and unhappy" environment for civil servants by questioning their capability and undermining their performance.
The Observer says Patel is expected to face questions in Parliament about her behaviour. Labour leadership front runner Keir Starmer said: “The home secretary has a duty to come to parliament on Monday to explain the allegations made about her own conduct.”
The shadow chancellor John McDonnell told Sky News the situation was “unprecedented” and suggested that Patel was “on the way out”.
The episode is the latest in a series of controversies between Boris Johnson’s government and Whitehall aides. It comes two weeks after Sajid Javid dramatically quit as chancellor when Boris Johnson ordered him to fire his team of aides.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Get your first six issues for £6–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - March 16, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - pointed commentary, Haiti in trouble, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 hilarious cartoons about the RNC's MAGA takeover
Cartoons Artists take on RNC funding, Lara Trump, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Trump's presidential run: a bad bet for Republicans?
Talking Point The GOP is taking a 'big gamble' on former president's 2024 White House bid
By The Week UK Published
-
Will new Welsh leader change UK relations?
Today's Big Question Vaughan Gething or Jeremy Miles will have to decide how closely to follow Keir Starmer when they become first minister
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Badenoch, Johnson or 'full Trump': who is the future of the Tory Party?
Today's Big Question Tory moderates are preparing to do battle with the right of the party in a post-Sunak leadership election
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
It's the economy, Sunak: has 'Rishession' halted Tory fightback?
Today's Big Question PM's pledge to deliver economic growth is 'in tatters' as stagnation and falling living standards threaten Tory election wipeout
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Nicola Sturgeon and the Covid Inquiry: another blow to her reputation?
Talking Point Scotland's ex-leader provokes outrage with testimony to Covid Inquiry about deleted WhatsApp messages from pandemic
By The Week UK Published
-
Why your local council may be going bust
The Explainer Across England, local councils are suffering from grave financial problems
By The Week UK Published
-
Rishi Sunak and the right-wing press: heading for divorce?
Talking Point The Telegraph launches 'assault' on PM just as many Tory MPs are contemplating losing their seats
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet, The Week UK Published
-
'Expat voters could fuel backlash against government at next election'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
'The Tories want you to know the world is getting more dangerous, but they aren't doing anything about it'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published