Former aide to Priti Patel ‘took an overdose after claiming she was being bullied by the minister’
- In 2015, then employment minister was said to have sacked the female staffer
- The aide received a £25,000 payout from Department for Work and Pensions
- Comes amid row engulfing Home Secretary after permanent secretary resigned
Priti Patel has been hit with fresh claims of bullying after it tonight emerged a former aide took an overdose and received a £25,000 payout after accusing her boss of victimisation.
In October 2015, the then employment minister was said to have lashed out at the female staffer in an ‘unprovoked level of aggression’.
The woman was later told by an official she was being sacked because ‘she [Ms Patel] doesn’t like your face,’ according to the BBC.
After the incident, the aide allegedly took an overdose of prescription medicine at her desk and had to be taken home by a colleague.
That night, grievance papers claim she tried to kill herself and spent the night in hospital.
The aide received a £25,000 settlement from the Department for Work and Pensions, the BBC reports, after claiming unfair dismissal, victimisation, harassment and discrimination against her old boss.
Priti Patel has been hit with fresh accusations of bullying after it tonight emerged a former aide won a £25,000 payout after claiming victimisation and taking an overdose
It comes amid a row engulfing Ms Patel after her permanent secretary at the Home Office resigned and accused the cabinet minister of waging a hostile briefing war against him.
Sir Philip Rutnam quit and pointed the finger at Ms Patel for ‘swearing, belittling people, making unreasonable and repeated demands’.
The bitter feud threatens to spill out into a full-blown public spat after he claims to have rejected a financial settlement and intends to take the government to court.
Boris Johnson has ordered an inquiry into the bullying storm involving the Home Secretary.
The Prime Minister has asked the Cabinet Office to ‘establish the facts’ around Sir Philip, Michael Gove told MPs this afternoon.
Addressing allegations Ms Patel had broken the ministerial code, Mr Gove said: ‘The Home Secretary absolutely rejects these allegations.
‘The Prime Minister has expressed his full confidence in her and having worked closely with the Home Secretary over a number of years I have the highest regard for her.
‘She is a superb minister doing a great job.’
The Cabinet Office declined to comment.
The Department for Work and Pensions did not immediately respond to comment.
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