Priti Patel backed by health secretary amid fresh claims she broke rules
A cabinet colleague has rallied to the defence of the home secretary as she faced fresh claims of breaking ministerial rules over a meeting with a billionaire Tory donor and British Airways.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid gave his backing to Priti Patel, saying she was doing “incredibly well”, as Labour demanded an investigation into her conduct following allegations of her involvement in a “secret lobbying lunch”.
Political opponents have accused her of being “reckless” and a “serial offender” in breaching the ministerial code.
Sajid Javid has spoken out in support of the home secretary
But speaking to Sky News’ Trevor Phillips On Sunday programme, Mr Javid, who himself served as home secretary, said: “It’s a really tough job, and she’s doing really well.
“There’s so many things that she has already done with the legislation that’s been put forward, but I also know as home secretary, you’ll also do a huge amount that never gets into the public eye because it’s not something you can ever talk about publicly.
“And, I think it’s obvious to me, having done that job, that she’s carrying out that part of the work here, the stuff that’s never in the public, incredibly well.”
Ms Patel has faced renewed criticism after the Sunday Mirror reported she had arranged a meeting on 11 August at Heathrow Airport’s Hilton Garden Inn, which is part of a chain owned by Conservative donor Surinder Arora.
However, it’s claimed no official from the Home Office was present, which under the rules there should be if government business was discussed.
The ministerial code states: “A private secretary or official should be present for all discussions relating to government business.
“If a minister meets an external organisation or individual and finds themselves discussing official business without an official present – for example at a social occasion or on holiday – any significant content should be passed back to the department as soon as possible after the event.”
Kwasi Kwarteng was said to be ‘uncomfortable’ about the meeting
It is understood Ms Patel considered it a private meeting and that the lunch was declared to her private office.
A spokesman for her said: “Details of all the home secretary’s relevant external meetings will be published in the usual way in accordance with the ministerial code.”
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng also attended the meeting – but in his role as a local MP, as Heathrow borders his Spelthorne constituency.
But a source told the Sunday Mirror he was “still uncomfortable about the whole thing going ahead without officials present”.
The latest allegations will again put the spotlight on Ms Patel, who was forced to resign as international development secretary in 2017 after unauthorised meetings with Israeli officials.
She also kept her job earlier this year after being found to have engaged in bullying behaviour towards staff by the then independent adviser on ministerial standards, Sir Alex Allan.
Conservative donor Surinder Arora says there ‘wasn’t any agenda’
Sir Alex resigned after Boris Johnson chose to back Ms Patel following his investigation into her conduct.
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “The home secretary is a serial offender with no regard for the ministerial code. It’s time the prime minister took away her get out of jail free card.
“This secret lobbying lunch would break the rules three times over. She has serious questions to answer and must be investigated by the cabinet secretary immediately.”
Nick Thomas-Symonds, Labour’s shadow home secretary, added: “The home secretary is so reckless about her duties that it seems she takes part in meetings behind closed doors and without an official present.”
Mr Arora previously donated to former Tory chancellor Philip Hammond when he was his local MP.
He told The Sunday Mirror: “I’ve known Kwarsi and Priti for years. I said pop in and have lunch and see my new hotel.
“I don’t do politics. I don’t support anyone. There wasn’t any agenda.”
Politics
University tuition fee rise branded ‘morally wrong’ – as Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson defends increase
The education secretary has said no decision has been made on whether university tuition fees will increase with inflation each year.
Bridget Phillipson has announced the maximum cap on tuition fees in England will go up in line with inflation from April 2025.
The cost of tuition will increase by £285 to £9,535 next year – the first rise in eight years.
Politics latest: Big name comeback in new Tory shadow cabinet
There will also be a rise in maximum maintenance loans to increase in line with inflation, giving an increase of £414 a year to help students with living costs.
However, the education secretary did not say if the rise would continue after that.
Speaking to Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge, Ms Phillipson admitted she did not know what would happen with tuition fees after April 2026.
“We’re going to look at this and the maintenance support and the sector overall as part of the reform that we intend to set out in the months to come,” she said.
“So no decision, no decision has been taken on what happens beyond this.”
She said the government will be looking at “what is required… to get our universities on a more sustainable footing… but also to deliver a better deal for students as a part of that”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
University tuition fees to increase
The minister said she also “intends to look at” uprating the threshold at which students need to start paying tuition fees back in line with inflation.
Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), said the tuition fee rise was “economically and morally wrong”.
She said: “Taking more money from debt-ridden students and handing it to overpaid underperforming vice-chancellors is ill conceived and won’t come close to addressing the sector’s core issues.”
Read more:
Who’s who in Badenoch’s new shadow cabinet?
Migrants stuck on Chagos Islands may have chance to be moved to UK
More funding to tackle ‘national security threat’ of people smugglers
The National Union of Students (NUS) said students were being asked to “foot the bill” to keep the lights and heating on in their universities and to prevent their courses from closing down amid the “crisis”.
Alex Stanley, vice president for higher education of the NUS, said: “This is, and can only ever be, a sticking plaster.
“Universities cannot continue to be funded by an ever-increasing burden of debt on students.”
Universities have been making up for fees being frozen since 2017/18 by taking in international students who pay more.
However, student visa numbers have fallen after the previous government made it more difficult for them to come to the UK recently, so universities can no longer rely on the fees.
The US presidential race could determine the fate of more than half a dozen proposed crypto ETFs.
Dame Priti Patel has made a comeback as Kemi Badenoch has appointed her shadow foreign secretary, Sky News understands.
Ms Badenoch, who became Conservative leader on Saturday, started officially appointing her shadow cabinet on Sunday evening.
Politics latest: Reaction as Badenoch makes more shadow cabinet appointments
On Monday afternoon, the two biggest jobs were confirmed, with former home secretary Ms Patel being given the shadow foreign secretary role.
Former shadow work and pensions secretary Mel Stride, who ran in the Tory leadership race and is considered more of a moderate than Ms Badenoch, has been made shadow chancellor.
Robert Jenrick, who lost out to Ms Badenoch, is the new shadow justice secretary, sources told Sky News.
Earlier in the day, Laura Trott, who served as chief secretary to the Treasury under Rishi Sunak, was appointed shadow education secretary.
The new Tory leader made her first appointments on Sunday evening ahead of her new top team meeting for the first time on Tuesday.
Mel Stride was work and pensions secretary and stood to be Tory leader
Now the Conservatives are in opposition, the shadow cabinet’s role is to scrutinise the policies and actions of the government and to offer alternative policies.
Nigel Huddleston and Dominic Johnson, junior ministers under Mr Sunak, were appointed joint chairmen of the Conservative Party.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The role involves overseeing the party’s headquarters, where staff and committee members have their offices.
Essex MP Dame Rebecca Harris was confirmed as chief whip after the interim chief whip Stuart Andrew said she was replacing him.
She will be responsible for ensuring Tory MPs attend and vote in parliament as the party leadership desires.
Read more:
Who’s who in Kemi Badenoch’s new shadow cabinet
University tuition fees to increase in England for first time in eight years
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Badenoch: ‘We let standards slip’
Former foreign secretary James Cleverly, who came third in the leadership race, said on Friday he would not be joining Ms Badenoch’s top team.
Ex-prime minister Mr Sunak, his former deputy Sir Oliver Dowden, ex-chancellor Jeremy Hunt and former Brexit, health, and environment secretary Steve Barclay have all said they will be joining him on the backbenches.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports7 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Environment1 year agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway