Thread by @docrussjackson

Let's talk about Priti Patel.

She worked for the PR consultancy Weber Shandwick for several years, as part of which she lobbied for big tobacco, & as an MP she voted to overturn the smoking ban.

Patel was critical of the UK's decision to invest funds to support the Palestinian territories & in October 2016 she ordered a review of the overseas funding procedure, temporarily freezing approximately a third of Britain's aid to the Palestinians.

In November 2017, the news broke that Patel had held up to a dozen meetings in Israel in August 2017 without telling the Foreign Office. She was accompanied by Lord Polak, honorary president of Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI), while Patel was on a "private holiday".

Patel met Netanyahu & the leader of Israel's centrist Yesh Atid party, and reportedly made visits to several organisations where official departmental business was discussed. She initially said "Boris [Johnson] knew about the visit."

But later released an apology for her actions, and corrected her remarks which she said gave the false impression that the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson knew about the trip before it happened. She was summined ti see PM Theresa May, who told her off.

Then details if two more undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials in Westminster and New York in September 2017 emerged, that Patel had not disclosed when she met the Prime Minister.

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…

She caused yet more outrage when she questioned the impartiality of the Electoral Commission, & then in February 2019, Patel tweeted supportive messages for the extremely dodgy alt-right group Turning Point UK.

independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-n…

In March 2019, Patel backed a pamphlet published by the didgy right wing think tank TaxPayers' Alliance which called for the international development budget to be reformed, & for the UK alone to decide what constitutes aid, rather than international organisations.

She caused even more outrage after suggesting the UK use the threat of food shortages in Ireland to get a better deal with the EU.

Starve the Irish into compliance?

thenational.scot/news/17284900.…

And in May 2019, Patel began working for Viasat as a strategic adviser on a salary of £5,000 a month for five hours’ work a month, without seeking prior approval leading to accusations that she has broken the ministerial code for a second time!

theguardian.com/politics/2019/…

Priti Patel has left a trail of disaster everywhere she's been, is seemingly devoid of any traces of compassion, has terrible judgement & no hint of an ethical bone in her body.

She got #Spaffer out of the shit concerning Israel by lying, & now she's Home Secretary.

Terrifying.

And now multiple sources at the Home Office have accused Priti Patel of bullying, belittling officials in meetings, making unreasonable demands & creating "an atmosphere of fear".

No wonder Boris Johnson adores her - she's just like him: a ruthless, selfish bully.

Enough.

#SackPritiPatel