Matt Hancock defends 'determined' Priti Patel after top official resigns over bullying row
4 min read
Matt Hancock has defended his "determined" Cabinet colleague Priti Patel after her top official dramatically quit and vowed to take the Government to court amid a bullying row.
The Health Secretary said Ms Patel was "very courteous" as he claimed ministers continue to work "incredibly closely" with civil servants despite the shock exit of Home Office permanent secretary Sir Philip Rutnam.
Sir Philip quit in a televised statement on Saturday morning, saying he had been the victim of "a vicious and orchestrated briefing campaign" by allies of the Home Secretary.
The outgoing mandarin said he would be pursuing a constructive dismissal case against the Government, as he accused Ms Patel of failing to "disassociate herself" from attacks on him.
And he claimed the Home Secretary had shouted and sworn at Home Office staff.
But Mr Hancock, who has been leading the Government's response to the Coronavirus outbreak, said: "We work incredibly closely with officials who say exactly what the facts are as they see them and advise. And that's the way it should be."
He told Sky News' Sophy Ridge: "You know, Priti is a very determined person, but she's also very courteous.
"And I think that, you know, looking at coronavirus again, the way that officials and ministers have worked together has been absolutely impeccable as well of course as the medical experts and the scientists. And a great example of everybody pulling together in the case of a big challenge."
The Health Secretary said he would not get "into the details" of Mr Rutnam's claims against Ms Patel now that court action was pending.
But he added: "We all know that Priti is determined. And that's right, that's good in a secretary of state. That's what you want to see.
"And she's also very courteous in her dealings and I very much hope that we can get on and deliver the Government's agenda, the 20,000 police that she's recruiting and making sure that we crack down on crime. That's actually what people really care about."
'POLITICISED LEAKS'
The defence of Ms Patel came as allies of the Home Secretary pushed back at Sir Philip in briefings to the Sunday papers.
The Mail on Sunday quoted one insider who said ex-Home Office permanent secretary "oversaw a culture of politicised leaks and egotistical briefing from the department and has managed to avoid taking any responsibility or face any consequence for the Windrush scandal".
The Home Office has already moved to appointed Shona Gunn, Mr Rutnam's deputy, as acting permanent secretary of the department, with Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill vowing: “The Home Office’s vital work to keep our citizens safe and our country secure continues uninterrupted.”
But Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said Ms Patel's Cabinet position now appeared to be untenable.
"I was a civil servant before I became a politician," he told Sky.
"I was the chief executive of the Local Government Association, actually appointed by Conservative and Labour councillors. I worked with all parties. And when you get a civil servant going public like this, it's unprecedented."
Mr McDonnell added: "I can't remember a case like this. So there must be something pretty bad that's gone on."
And he added: "I think it says something more than about her. I think it says something about this government itself. Within a couple of months [Boris Johnson has] lost his Chancellor, and now it looks as though he's going to lose his Home Secretary as well.
"I think that says something about Boris Johnson's own abilities of management of his own government."
Senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper, who chairs Parliament’s cross-party Home Affairs Committee, has said the “very serious” claims should prompt a “fast” investigation from Number 10 and the Cabinet Office.
“To end up with one of the most senior public servants in the country taking court action against one of the great offices of state shows a shocking level of breakdown in the normal functioning of government,” she said.
And Labour leadership frontrunner Sir Keir Starmer has demanded a Commons statement from Ms Patel on Monday "to explain the allegations made about her own conduct".
He added: "The Prime Minister’s handling of the flooding and coronovirus has been woeful, advisers in Number 10 are out of control, and attacks on the civil service are growing.
“I would therefore call on the Liaison Committee to hold an urgent inquiry into the culture and workings of government."
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