Jon Trickett letter to Theresa May calling for an investigation into whether Priti Patel broke the Ministerial code

Jon Trickett MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office, has today written to the Prime Minister urging a full investigation into whether Priti Patel broke the Ministerial code by holding undisclosed meetings in Israel.

In the letter, which includes an annexe of questions, Jon Trickett criticises May’s decision to ask the Cabinet Secretary to look at ‘tightening up the Ministerial Code’ as it is not ‘explicit enough’ for its suggestion that the actions of Priti Patel are not already covered and asks whether the Prime Minister is satisfied that Priti Patel has not breached the code.

Jon Trickett lays out what he believes are the four serious breaches by Priti Patel. These include: openness, collective responsibility, responsibility to do only Prime Minister allocated duties and honesty. He calls on the Prime Minister to “instigate a full investigation into this matter”.

Ends

Notes to Editors

Full Text of the Letter

Dear Prime Minister.

Further to my letter on Friday 3 November, a response to which has yet to be received, I am writing with regard to what I believe to be at least four serious breaches of the Ministerial Code by the Rt Hon Priti Patel MP, Secretary of State for International Development.

Last night it was reported that you have asked the Cabinet secretary to look at ‘tightening up the Ministerial Code’ as the code is not ‘explicit enough’ with regard the conduct of Priti Patel. Whilst Labour supports any action to address perceived weaknesses in the code, I am concerned that this suggests that you believe the actions of Priti Patel are not already covered and that you are satisfied she has not breached the Ministerial code. 

Given that it is reported you met Priti Patel yesterday and reminded her of her responsibilities under the Ministerial code, I believe it important that either you or the Cabinet Secretary publicly set out whether you have determined that Priti Patel failed to adhere to the code and if that is the case, why she still remains a member of your Government.

As you say in the foreword to the Ministerial Code, “this code sets out the standards of behaviour expected from all those who serve in Government”. The code goes on to say “Ministers of the Crown are expected to behave in a way that upholds the highest standards of propriety”.

I believe there are strong grounds to believe that Priti Patel broke the code with regard to:

Openness - act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner

Collective responsibility

Responsibility to do only Prime Minister allocated duties

Priti Patel meeting a foreign Prime Minister secretly from the rest of the Government breaks all three of these rules but I believe that there are strong grounds that when her meetings came to light, she broke a fourth:

Honesty, the sixth of the seven principles of public life

The code states, “if there is an allegation about a breach of the Code, and the Prime Minister, having consulted the Cabinet Secretary feels it warrants further investigation, she will refer the matter to the Independent adviser on Ministerial interests.” 

Given the above I ask that you refer the matter to Sir Alex Allen, the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, and Sue Gray, Director General, Propriety and Ethics Team, to conduct a full investigation, or state publicly and explain your full reasons for why Priti Patel retains your confidence despite clear breaches of the Ministerial code.

I believe that it is possible that Priti Patel may have broken other aspects of the code, I have attached as an annexe a number of questions that only a full investigation could determine to clear up this matter. 

Given the level of public interest in this matter, I will be making this letter public.

Yours sincerely,

Jon Trickett MP

CC Sir Jeremy Heywood

Annex of Questions

·         Who made the arrangements for the visits and meetings?

·         The Secretary of State yesterday published a list of meetings, is this exhaustive?

·         What hospitality did the secretary of State receive? Did she eat or receive entertainment?

·         Who organised the travel to the meetings? Who paid?

·         The Secretary of State says that this was a ‘family holiday’, what proportion of the holiday was spent travelling to or at the meetings or visits?

·         What notes did she take or officials make of her meetings?

·         Were any gifts received? If so have they been declared, when and what was the value?

·         When did she report to her department on the meetings or visits? Has she provided either a written or verbal report? And if so when and who to?

·         When did the Secretary of State first inform her department of the meetings and did she ask advice or for briefing in advance?

·         Given the Secretary of State says she was on holiday, did any member of the Foreign Office have either prior knowledge of her trip or become aware at the time? Did the ambassador attend any of the meetings with the Secretary of State. If not, when did FCO become aware of the meetings and visits?

·         With regard Lord Polak – was he on holiday with her? What role did he play with regard to organising any of the meetings or visits? Was he in attendance at any of the meetings? If so, was he in attendance whilst Government business was discussed?

·         Did the Secretary of State discuss any of her department business in the meetings and what if she did? If she did, was Lord Polak there?

·         Did the Secretary of State discuss any issues not in her brief but with regard to British interests? If so, what? What actions arose out of them? What record does the Government have and when did they become aware? What briefing had the secretary of State received and when to discuss those issues?

·         What actions has her department done on the back of any of her discussions?

·         Whether the Secretary of State solicited any donations to either herself or the Conservative Party at any of the meetings?

·         When did Number 10 and the FCO first become aware of the visit and meetings? Has she been open and frank with them sinc