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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces accusations that he tried to water down the official investigation that found Home Secretary Priti Patel intimidating staff as a former senior official told him “there should be no bullies in government. “.
David Normington, a former permanent secretary of the Home Office, said Johnson “does not seem willing to uphold high standards in public life” as he faces mounting criticism for supporting Patel.
Downing Street did not deny the suggestions that Johnson had tried and was unable to convince his ministerial standards adviser, Alex Allan, to tone down his conclusion that his behavior amounted to intimidation, as he found instances of yelling and swearing.
The adviser resigned yesterday when Johnson overturned his conclusion that Patel violated the ministerial code and supported his secretary of the Interior.
Normington, the department’s top official until 2011, criticized Johnson for contradicting Allan to find the cabinet minister is not a bully.
“The prime minister has simply sidelined the conclusions of a report, and of independent adviser Sir Alex Allan, that she is a bully and should not ‘have bullies in government,” Normington told BBC Radio 4’s Today program.
“We have to put ourselves in the position of the harassed, no one has spoken for them, some of them are junior staff and they will be sitting there today thinking that their voice has not been heard and the prime minister cannot be trusted.” to defend them.
“For the first time that I can remember, we have a prime minister who seems unwilling to uphold high standards in public life.”
Conservative peer Ken Clarke, a former home secretary, said he was “concerned” by the “very uncomfortable situation.”
“Before it was assumed that if an investigation was carried out that far and if it was discovered that someone had violated the ministerial code, I do not think anyone would have doubted that the minister, to use the old phrase, would have to consider his position,” he told Times Radio.
Offering what she described as a “full and unreserved apology,” Ms. Patel took advantage of Mr. Allan’s finding that she received no comment on the impact of her behavior.
But Philip Rutnam, who resigned as permanent secretary of the Home Office after accusing Ms Patel of a “vicious and orchestrated information campaign” against him, refuted this.
He said he was advised not to yell at or swear in at staff one month after his appointment in 2019 and that he was told to treat staff with respect “on several more occasions.”
Mr. Rutnam also said he was not interviewed for the investigation, despite having filed a constructive dismissal suit in labor court.
Meanwhile, the Times reported that two unidentified senior Whitehall officials said the prime minister tried and failed to get Allan to tone down his report to discover there was no clear evidence of harassment.
Downing Street did not deny the report, but a spokesman for No. 10 said: “As expected, the prime minister spoke with Sir Alex Allan to better understand the report.
“Sir Alex’s conclusions are entirely his.”
Mr. Allan found that Ms. Patel had not always treated public officials with “consideration and respect” and concluded that her approach at times “amounted to behavior that can be described as harassment in terms of the impact felt by individuals.” .
He said Ms Patel “had not consistently met the high standards required by the ministerial code,” although he said “there was no evidence that she was aware of the impact of her behavior.”
The interior minister apologized and said there were “no excuses” for what happened, but highlighted Allan’s assessment of his conscience.
She told the BBC that “any discomfort I have caused is completely unintentional and at the time, of course, it says that it is in the report, that the problems were not pointed out to me.”
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