,
13 tweets,
4 min read
Read on Twitter
Ladies and Gentlemen, a very brief introduction to our new Home Secretary, Priti Patel:
In 2011 on @bbcquestiontime she advocated reintroducing the death penalty, arguing it was about the 'criminal justice system doing what it says on the tin'
In 2011 on @bbcquestiontime she advocated reintroducing the death penalty, arguing it was about the 'criminal justice system doing what it says on the tin'
In the debate around a No Deal Brexit she suggested the possibility of food shortages in Ireland should be used as leverage over the backstop.
The sensitivities of using food shortages as a weapon in Ireland either lost on her or motivating her, prompted outrage from Irish officials.
thetimes.co.uk/article/3d9d4f…
thetimes.co.uk/article/3d9d4f…
Patel was forced to resign as international development secretary after conducting unofficial meetings with Israeli ministers, businesspeople and a senior lobbyist.
In her resignation letter, she admitted her actions
“fell below the high standards that are expected of a Secretary of State”.
theguardian.com/politics/2017/…
“fell below the high standards that are expected of a Secretary of State”.
theguardian.com/politics/2017/…
Let's just pause on this one:
A Secretary of State conducted secret meetings with another government, including its Prime Minister, Netanyahu, without informing officials, Downing Street or the FCO.
A Secretary of State conducted secret meetings with another government, including its Prime Minister, Netanyahu, without informing officials, Downing Street or the FCO.
It prompted colleagues to say:
“There has to be an agenda here. I would not be surprised if she was trying to cultivate [donors]. Everyone knows she wants to be PM,”
ft.com/content/b62c1b…
“There has to be an agenda here. I would not be surprised if she was trying to cultivate [donors]. Everyone knows she wants to be PM,”
ft.com/content/b62c1b…
And:
“Her ambition precedes her. [But] I’d be pushed to say she has any friends . . . I don’t know of one single MP who would back her.”
ft.com/content/b62c1b…
“Her ambition precedes her. [But] I’d be pushed to say she has any friends . . . I don’t know of one single MP who would back her.”
ft.com/content/b62c1b…
Her former DFID officials weren't delighted with her performance as Secretary of State either:
“She gave officials no clear direction on her priorities, leaving them confused and often paralysed,”
ft.com/content/b62c1b…
“She gave officials no clear direction on her priorities, leaving them confused and often paralysed,”
ft.com/content/b62c1b…
In fairness, Patel's pretty hard to impress.
She co-authored a pamphlet with other Tory MPs in 2012 in which they described British workers as "among the worst idlers in the world".
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…
She co-authored a pamphlet with other Tory MPs in 2012 in which they described British workers as "among the worst idlers in the world".
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…
Her voting record reveals her as not only a champion of austerity but that she has voted consistently against equal marriage and human rights.
theyworkforyou.com/mp/24778/priti…
theyworkforyou.com/mp/24778/priti…
And finally, prior to becoming an MP, she worked forWeber Shandwick, lobbying directly for British American Tobacco and whose other clients included the government of Bahrain, widely criticised for its brutal human rights record.
opendemocracy.net/en/dark-money-…
opendemocracy.net/en/dark-money-…
All in all, a perfect fit for the most right-wing cabinet in history.
An absolute disaster for the country.
An absolute disaster for the country.
