Priti Patel denies she ‘screamed and swore’ at Home Office staff after official bullying report

Summary of report said: 'The evidence is that this has manifested itself in forceful expression, including some occasions of shouting and swearing’

Priti Patel (Reuters)

Priti Patel has denied she “screamed and swore” at Home Office civil servants, just weeks after an official inquiry found evidence of her "shouting and swearing" at staff.

The home secretary was confronted with the allegation after a summary of a report by the prime minister’s standards adviser in November said her behaviour had amounted to bullying.

Boris Johnson, who as prime minister is the ultimate arbiter of the civil service code, stood by the beleaguered cabinet minister and refused to sack her in a move that led to the resignation of the author of the report, Sir Alex Allan.

Asked on the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme if she had changed her behaviour since the publication of the report’s findings, she said: “I will repeat what I’ve said, and I have apologised for that.

“There were references to other things that were taking place within my organisation and there are many, many changes that are under way right now, and that applies not just to behaviour but the culture and various leadership within the organisation too.

“I’ve made it quite clear that it’s across the board, it applies to everyone, including myself.”

Quizzed on whether those who alleged she screamed and swore at colleagues would think she had learned her lesson, Ms Patel replied: “Well, that’s not accurate for a start, but, as I’ve said, there are changes and that applies to myself as well.”

However, according the summary of the report by the prime minister’s former independent adviser Sir Alex, the Home Secretary had become “frustrated by the Home Office leadership’s lack of responsiveness and the lack of support she felt in DfiD three year ago”.

It added: “The evidence is that this has manifested itself in forceful expression, including some occasions of shouting and swearing. This may not be done intentionally to cause upset, but that has been the effect of some individuals.”

Pressed again, Ms Patel added: “Well, that’s a summary of the report, I’m not sure you’ve read the report because I haven’t read the report.”

Sir Philip Rutnam, the former civil service chief at the Home Office who resigned in February detailing explosive allegations against Ms Patel, said last month he had advised the home secretary a shortly after her appointment in 2019 that she must not shout and swear at civil servants.

He claimed he the told the cabinet minister “on a number of occasions” over the next six months that she must treat them with respect and “make changes to protect health, safety and welfare”.