The stench wafting from Downing Street is the reek of arrogance, hypocrisy and entitlement.
A PM who cared about decency would never have appointed Priti Patel in the first place.
She had already shown she was unfit for office with her diplomatic freelancing when International Development Secretary.
Now she has been found guilty of bullying staff – but Boris Johnson is keeping her in place.
This is the same Johnson who wrote in the foreword to the ministerial code that there must be “no bullying and no harassment”.
Even worse than Ms Patel’s behaviour is the Prime Minister condoning it by refusing to act and encouraging MPs to defend her. This effectively undoes all the good work being done in our schools and workplaces to stop bullying.
He should have fired Ms Patel, just as he should have booted out Dominic Cummings for breaching the lockdown and dismissed Robert Jenrick for getting involved in a housing development by a Tory donor.
As always with this Government, it is one rule for them and one for everyone else.
Pay outrage
Throughout the pandemic Britain’s public servants had gone that extra mile.
Teachers have kept schools open, the armed forces have helped build hospitals, carers have risked their lives to look after the vulnerable and the police have overseen the lockdown.
What is their reward? A proposed pay freeze. The savings would amount to £3.4billion. This is a drop in the ocean compared with the billions of pounds lavished on private sector firms by the Government since Covid struck.
To restore the finances, the Chancellor should look at a wealth tax, not penalise those who stepped up when the country called.
Telly treats
The one consolation to living under lockdown has been the fantastic telly.
Thank goodness for Strictly, The Crown, Bake Off and I’m a Celebrity.
