THURSDAY 5 MARCH 2020No 10 sowed the seeds of the
Patel row with its culture of
disdain towards Whitehall
Johnson makes a point at PMQs yesterday as Patel looks on (AFP via Getty)
ANDREW GRICE
Normally, a “three strikes and you’re out” rule would appeal to Priti Patel, as the
home secretary is a hardliner on law and order. She will be rather less in favour of
the maxim today, after allegations that she bullied civil servants in a third
government department surfaced.It was inevitable other officials would emerge from the Whitehall woodwork after last weekend’s dramatic
resignation by Philip Rutnam as permanent secretary at the Home Office. There have since been claims that
Patel also bullied civil servants at the Department for Work and Pensions (DfID) and the Department for