An inquiry into allegations of bullying by Britain's Home Secretary Priti Patel has found that she "unintentionally" broke the rules of ministers' behaviour, the BBC and other media reported on Thursday.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked officials to carry out an inquiry in March to “establish the facts” after allegations were raised against the interior minister.
Upon his resignation, Philip Rutnam, Britain’s top official in the interior ministry, said he had become the "target of a vicious and orchestrated campaign against him," which he alleged Ms Patel was involved in.
Ms Patel has rejected these accusations but she is a figure who appears to perpetually court controversy. In 2017, she was forced to resign as Britain's international aid minister after having secret meetings with Israeli officials during a "family holiday". And since assuming her current post, she has attracted criticism for mulling sending migrants to Ascension Island in the South Atlantic to be processed and became embroiled in a gaslighting row at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests this summer.
The independent report was concluded in the summer but it has not yet been published.
The BBC, citing unnamed sources, said the draft report had found Patel had broken the ministerial code which states ministers should treat officials with respect, and that there was evidence of bullying even if it was unintentional.
"The process is ongoing and the prime minister will make any decision on the matter public once the process has concluded," a government spokeswoman said in a statement in response to the reports.
Johnson's government has had an uneasy relationship with senior officials, with several top civil servants leaving their posts since his election win last December.
Nick Thomas-Symonds, home affairs spokesman for the opposition Labour Party, said the revelations could not be more serious.
"This has all the hallmarks of a cover-up from the prime minister and raises fundamental questions about his judgment," he said in a statement. "His actions are all but condoning bullying in the workplace."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
Past winners of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2014 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2012 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2011 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2010 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2009 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Read more from Kareem Shaheen
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
