Mistreatment with colleagues; Boris Johnson gave clean chit to Home Secretary Priti Patel

London: The British Home Secretary apologised for the allegations of mistreatment and bullying of colleagues. Ms. Patel said that she had not behaved with the intention of hurting anyone, and that she would apologise if anyone had such a feeling without knowing it.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement that he had full confidence in Patel. The statement said that Priti Patel had not violated the Ministerial Code and that the Prime Minister had assessed it. The Prime Minister’s statement came during the ongoing probe into the allegations. With this, the controversy in this regard has reached a new level.

Alex Allan, the Prime Minister’s adviser on ministerial standards, has resigned following Johnson’s decision to keep Patel as home secretary.

“I work with thousands of brilliant civil servants every single day and we work together, day in day out, to deliver on the agenda of this government. I’m sorry that my behaviour has upset people, and I’ve never intentionally set out to upset anyone,” Ms. Patel explained.

But Mr. Allan did not agree with this argument. He is adamant that Patel has treated civil servants with disrespect.

The Ministerial Code stipulates that colleagues should be treated with consideration and respect. “Her approach on occasions has amounted to behaviour that can be described as bullying in terms of the impact felt by individuals. To that extent her behaviour has been in breach of the ministerial code, even if unintentionally,” he said.

The Cabinet Office investigates a complaint alleging that Priti Patel had insulted her colleagues and had clashed with senior officials in three different departments. The Cabinet Office began its investigation in March following the resignation of Philip Rutnam, the permanent secretary of the Home Office.

Philip Rutnam alleged that Patel had mounted a vicious and well-planned campaign against him. But Patel and her allies had denied the allegations.