On Saturday 11th July, Labour demanded that the inquiry into allegations of the home secretary bullying her staff must be published immediately.
Nick Thomas Symonds, the shadow Home Secretary wrote a letter to Michael Gove stating that the delay in publishing the findings was unacceptable. In his letter he wrote,
“It has been over four months since the government promised a report into whether the home secretary broke the ministerial code. There are now allegations of deeply inappropriate political interference in the publication of the report, both in terms of content and timing. The delay in producing it is totally unacceptable.”
Fresh demands from the opposition arose with claims that the inquiry’s chief is resisting pressure from Downing Street to exonerate Priti Patel. A formal investigation was launched in March after claims that Patel bullied her staff and senior officials across three department. The report has been completed. It was launched by the cabinet secretary, Sir Mark Sedwill after Sir Philip Rutnam who quit Office in February, accusing the home secretary of a “vicious and orchestrated briefing campaign” against him. The inquiry is separate to an employment tribunal claim he has also launched against Patel.
The home secretary expressed concern at the “false” claims and allies described her as a demanding boss, but not a bully.
