The Cabinet Office inquiry was announced on Monday after the top civil servant in the Home Office, Philip Rutnam, resigned publicly, levelling a series of allegations against British home secretary Priti Patel and announcing his intention to sue the government. Patel has rejected the allegations.

LONDON – The opposition Labour party demanded that home secretary Priti Patel step down on Tuesday while the inquiry into allegations of bullying against her is carried out, as details emerged of a £25,000 settlement to a bureaucrat who complained against her in 2015 when she was employment minister.

The Cabinet Office inquiry was announced on Monday after the top civil servant in the Home Office, Philip Rutnam, resigned publicly, levelling a series of allegations against her and announcing his intention to sue the government. Patel has rejected the allegations.

The 2015 complaint relates to Patel’s former aide who received the payout from the government after claiming she was bullied by her. The person took an overdose of medicine following the alleged incident. Her department did not admit liability and the case did not come before a tribunal.

Legal correspondence reported by the BBC shows the employee bringing a formal complaint of bullying and harassment against the department, including Patel, after being dismissed from her role in October 2015.

The staff member alleges she was told the decision to dismiss her a year later was not made on performance grounds but because Patel did not “like (her) face”, according to comments attributed to her line-manager and a colleague.

Patel had also reportedly shouted at the woman in her private office and told her to “get lost” and “get out of her face”, the correspondence alleges. Patel is described as having acted “without warning” and with an “unprovoked level of aggression”, in the complaint.

Sikh Federation UK said in a press release that what has emerged about Priti Patel is that she has consistently bullied when in a position of power in government.  In 2017 she was disgraced and forced to resign as a Minister for unauthorised meetings in Israel and a lack of transparency. 

“Bullying is totally unacceptable especially in the workplace. It is closely associated with abuse of power and employees are often afraid to speak up.  People’s health and even lives are under threat,” UK Sikh Federation said.

“The Home Secretary is responsible for policing and national security and holds one of the most prestigious positions in government.  The Prime Minister advised by the Cabinet Secretary must not look the other way or turn a blind eye for political reasons.