... to think that Priti Patel doesn't sound very nice?

[BowermansNose]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8022887/Home-Secretary-Priti-Patel-accused-bullying-creating-atmosphere-fear.html

Daily Mail link, but I'm listening to it on BBC Radio 5. It sounds as if Priti Patel is facing lots of complaints because of the way she treats people. Combine that with her politics, and she just doesn't come across very pleasantly. Can she last in her job treating people like this (assuming it is true).

Actually, I think that's a very casual dismissive response to the issues most of the UK faces, and very reprehensible, It sugggests that the administrative level of the civil service are so careerist that their careers are more important than public service.

It's all very well to know you are smart but to exercise your intelligence in the interest of the public/tax-paying person who isn't going to challenge /out-smart you professionally/intellectually requires a modicum of empathy, which is not really required for politicians.

...because you have voted for a manifesto. A programme of policies with which you mainly agree.

I think the civil service care about themselves and their place on the honours list

Then you know nothing about the civil service.

As for more police - the Tories cut them. We can and deport foreign criminals. No changes to the law required there.

You’ve fallen for the Tory spin.

I think she's awful but no one would ever start a thread about the niceness or not of a male politician.

I doubt we would see articles like the one in the OP about male politicians.

Tell John Bercow that, maybe he is secretly a woman. Sometimes women get criticised because they deserve it. She isn't the female Home Secretary, she isn't the first Home Secretary of Asian descent. I think she gets this sort of criticism because she probably deserves it.

She doesn't have a bitch resting face, she has a smirk resting face. I'd just said that to DH, I think she probably is as horrible as they say but I think her expression makes her unlikeable before she even opens her mouth.

And when has anyone criticised a male politician for not being "nice"? Well IDS got loads of criticism about his nasty unfeeling policies. John Bercow accused of bullying. Just the first two that occur to me.

this isn’t about her not being “nice”. It’s about her being a bully, an advocate for the death penalty, a sneaky politician who broke the regulations and had to leave her last cabinet post.

I have a friend who recently retired from the Civil Service. The told me that they have a 'rule of thumb' for whether a document was simple enough to understand, and that was 'would Priti Patel understand it'. Says it all really.

'The Conservatives were clear about these policies during campaigning for the GE.
And won a majority.'

That should be ABSOLUTELY IRRELEVANT to the role of civil servants. They are not there to support a particular party; they are there as independent officials. The people who did NOT vote for this government (half the country) need to accept that the politicians in power will follow policies different to those that we want; but we don't need to accept that non-politicians who might not fully support all government policies should be crushed or sacked. Same goes for the BBC, the House of Lords, the Monarchy, the Bishops: neither Left nor Right should have the right to politicize these in their own image This used to be mainly a Left-wing attitude; now it's mainly a Right-wing attitude; it's dangerous in both directions.

'And when has anyone criticised a male politician for not being "nice"? '

Quite often. Gordon Brown and John Bercow are two examples that come instantly to mind.

'Why should politicians be "nice"?
They need to be hard working, efficient and carry out the policies in the manifesto'

Hardworking and efficient, certainly. They should also be free to disagree with their party leaders on matters affecting their conscience. Circumstances can change to make policies in a manifesto unachievable or even dangerous. And that's just with regard to members of the majority party. Should Opposition politicians be required to obey the Prime Minister?

John Bercow was criticised for bullying. Other politicians, mainly male ones have been criticised for their policies.
None, as far as I am aware have been criticised for not being "nice" people.
And I do know the civil service, very well in fact.
They are supposed to be neutral, but many are not. I know some senior civil servants, albeit not in the HO, who are anything but neutral. So don't give me that rubbish.
They are supposed to carry out the instructions of the Govt. But if the disagree with the policies they can find ways to delay are argue against them.

Priti Patel is carrying out the policies in the manifesto.
I never said the Conservatives have not cut the number of police.
I am appalled that a high court injunction was granted to stop Jamaican criminals from being deported.

I hope she curbs the judges from interfering with decisions made by elected representatives of the British people.

Iggly, this is about her being "nice". Look at the title of the thread.

I think it is both sexist and racist.

I’m the OP and it wouldn’t cross my mind to link Priti Patel not being very nice with her sex or race.

I have never seen any thread accusing a male boss/politician of not being nice. This is pure sexism and for that reason I have voted YABU.

Politicans aren't nice. Why different standards for female politicians?

Couldnt give a stuff if she is nice or not more interested in whether she can get a job done

I have never seen any thread accusing a male boss/politician of not being nice. This is pure sexism and for that reason I have voted YABU.

Boris Johnson, Donald Trump?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/in_the_news/3771997-Do-you-think-Jeremy-Corbyn-after-all-of-this-is-actually-a-preening-narcissist

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/politics/1705517-14-quotes-that-prove-the-nasty-party-is-still-just-as-nasty-as-ever

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3756136-To-think-Boris-Johnson-is

Just a quick google.

'I hope she curbs the judges from interfering with decisions made by elected representatives of the British people.'

I hope she doesn't!!! Judges are there to deliver justice, not to accept all decisions made by 'elected representatives of (some of) the British people' (note that the party of government got about 44% of the vote, some of which came from people who just didn't trust Corbyn). Would you have opposed American judicial decisions in favour of civil rights and the end of Jim Crow in the 1960s? The majority of the (mostly white) electorate in the Southern states undoubtedly supported Jim Crow at that time.

I’m more concerned that she doesn’t know the difference between counter terrorism and terrorism ... I saw that Spider clip a few weeks ago and honestly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry . That level of stupidity makes her dangerous

For me it is the language used in the title of this thread that is the problem because little girls are always told how important it is to be "nice". It is a completely different thing to accuse Priti of having broken this minimum requirement for females than it is to call Corbyn a "preening narcissist" or Boris a "repugnant lump of lard".

Women in power are not above criticism and nor should they be but to be accused of "not being very nice" is blatant sexism.

@cakeisalwaystheanswer, you would be happier if we called Priti Patel repugnant rather than not very nice? Ok

Yes if it's appropriate actually, because that would be a specific insult for Priti as opposed to a generic insult suitable for any female.

I have a real problem with the title of this thread. I have no problems with the accusations of bullying, stupidity etc. or any other insult, but "not very nice" annoys the hell out of me.

Fair enough, although given the context, I'm afraid I disagree with you.

“ She's a total dick, but surely everyone realized that when she advocated starving the Irish to get the UK's way in Brexit negotiations?”

She didn’t. What she said was completely misrepresented.

Another woman of colour getting all the hate on MN.

“ I think she probably is as horrible as they say but I think her expression makes her unlikeable before she even opens her mouth.”

Insightful political analysis there.

Of course she isn't nice she's racist, not even covertly. But they can get away with anything, they're taking the piss ou of us.