Discussion
Goes on a family holiday to Israel and ends up having a dozen or so meetings there including a meeting with their PM and she did all of this without informing the foreign office or Number 10 in advance. Not only that but when exposed she then lies about it saying there were only 2 meetings and claims Boris knew about them in advance before finally admitting that he didn't.
Should she be sacked?
Should she be sacked?
Beeb said:
Former Conservative foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that it was "extremely unwise" for Ms Patel to have held secret meetings with Israeli officials.
"Not only did she not tell the Foreign Office directly, so far as I'm aware the British Embassy in Israel wasn't aware that this was happening. Now that just shouldn't be done... it's not just a question of courtesy," he said.
Lord Ricketts, former head of the Diplomatic Service, told BBC Radio 4's World Tonight programme: "I can't think of a precedent where a senior minister visits a country, has an extensive programme like this without the Foreign Office, the foreign secretary or even the ambassador in the country knowing about it."
"Not only did she not tell the Foreign Office directly, so far as I'm aware the British Embassy in Israel wasn't aware that this was happening. Now that just shouldn't be done... it's not just a question of courtesy," he said.
Lord Ricketts, former head of the Diplomatic Service, told BBC Radio 4's World Tonight programme: "I can't think of a precedent where a senior minister visits a country, has an extensive programme like this without the Foreign Office, the foreign secretary or even the ambassador in the country knowing about it."
Beeb said:
She admitted a "lack of precision" for suggesting last week that Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson knew about the trip, and that only two meetings had taken place when she attended 12.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41896756
CoolHands said:
And what on earth is ‘Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI)‘? Who the f
k would belong to that
There are loads of these groups.k would belong to thatFor example:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_organisati...
And on the Labour side too.
It's almost as if Patel wanted to be sacked (a bit like Boris and his article for the Telegraph a few months ago) - she happily posed for photos with senior Israeli officials and she must have known visiting Golan Heights was a no no.
Anyway I'm sure she'll be back like the umpteen other sacked/forced to resign cabinet members who have later returned to a cabinet role (Mandy did this twice). Also, unless you followed politics closely you wouldn't have even known who Patel was until last week - well that's changed now, her profile has gone through the roof. Like most ambitious and arrogant politicians they generally land on their feet one way or the other (she doesn't even need to worry about her constituency as it's one of the safest Tory seats in the country). Her supporters have already started to play the Brexit card - Nadhim Zahawi on Newsnight claimed this was a remoaner plot to stop Brexit and her friends and allies have also played the Israel card suggesting that she was targeted by the Foreign Office because she wanted to change government policy vis-à-vis Israel. She'll use both of these things to her advantage from the backbenches as she tries to build a power base for herself with a view to furthering her career.
Anyway I'm sure she'll be back like the umpteen other sacked/forced to resign cabinet members who have later returned to a cabinet role (Mandy did this twice). Also, unless you followed politics closely you wouldn't have even known who Patel was until last week - well that's changed now, her profile has gone through the roof. Like most ambitious and arrogant politicians they generally land on their feet one way or the other (she doesn't even need to worry about her constituency as it's one of the safest Tory seats in the country). Her supporters have already started to play the Brexit card - Nadhim Zahawi on Newsnight claimed this was a remoaner plot to stop Brexit and her friends and allies have also played the Israel card suggesting that she was targeted by the Foreign Office because she wanted to change government policy vis-à-vis Israel. She'll use both of these things to her advantage from the backbenches as she tries to build a power base for herself with a view to furthering her career.
Edited by BlackLabel on Thursday 9th November 22:30
Apparently her conference speech was anti-semitic. 
"Robert Peston
@Peston
Note to
@patel4witham
’s speech writer: you should have deleted the word “north” from this trope because it has connotations I know the Home Secretary would be embarrassed by (I say this as a North Londoner born and bred)"
"
Adam Wagner
@AdamWagner1
·
3h
This is an antisemitic dog whistle. Either
@patel4witham
intended it or was reckless in using it. Either way 😡"
"Robert Peston
@Peston
Note to
@patel4witham
’s speech writer: you should have deleted the word “north” from this trope because it has connotations I know the Home Secretary would be embarrassed by (I say this as a North Londoner born and bred)"
"
Adam Wagner
@AdamWagner1
·
3h
This is an antisemitic dog whistle. Either
@patel4witham
intended it or was reckless in using it. Either way 😡"
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