Priti Patel

[Walkaround]

Is it actually possible to unintentionally bully someone? I always thought there had to be some knowledge of abuse of power - it’s supremely difficult to intimidate or coerce someone accidentally. The fact that the people Priti Patel works with as equals- other ministers - are falling over themselves to say how delightful she is to work with, whereas those who work for her accuse her of bullying surely makes it more likely her behaviour is deliberate bullying? Otherwise, her equals would find her to have an frightening, tyrannical demeanour, too!

I said quite clearly that Alistair Campbell was not an MP but was one of the prime overs of the Blair government. Was it OK for him to shout and swear at civil servants? Clearly it was, or he wouldn’t get so much media work.

As for this:

Civil servants by the very nature of the job do the bidding of ministers. Whoever that is.

And they work really hard to achieve their political masters aims.

Hahahaha. I’m an ex-senior civil servant. This really isn’t the case.

Prime movers. I’m not sure what prime overs are!

Alistair Campbell wasn’t a Cabinet Minister and subject to the Ministerial Code, signed off by Johnson in 2019: There must be no bullying and no harassment.

That’s the difference.

Yet more defending a bully by arguing other bullies have got away with it. How can people not realise what an atrocious argument that is?! Also, why hark back to Alistair Campbell when you’ve got Dominic Cummings to compare her with, if you are wanting to drag political advisers into it? Oh yes, I know - because he happens to be another bully that Boris Johnson has recently defended and kept on months after he should have been dismissed, so isn’t a convenient one to discuss if you want to defend Boris Johnson’s rejection of the advice of an independent adviser...

Yet more defending a bully by arguing other bullies have got away with it. How can people not realise what an atrocious argument that is?!

Don’t you realise that you can’t adjust standards of behaviour to suit yourself and your opinion of certain politicians? That is the flaw in your argument.

@Iamthewombat - don’t you realise I am not the one adjusting my argument? I think they are all bullies and all should have been dealt with accordingly. The flaw is in your argument.

I think there a lot of bullying posts on mumsnet tbh .

Posters who say I am right , you are wrong , your life choices are disgusting , your decisions are flawed , you should wake up and realise you just have no idea of what you should be doing .

Slagging off public figures as well without knowing them at all . That’s a. Popular one .

But of course that’s my perception only .

Am I the only one that sees a woman of colour in power accused of bullying and my first reaction is scepticism?

Sebastian she's unpleasant about Black people, and refugees. & the Irish, who she actually suggested should be subjected to food shortages.

As a Black woman I am not sceptical at all.

She sneers at people, her stance is bullting and she doesn't hide it so, no WoC passes please.

Why aren’t you campaigning for all of those people to be sacked, then? Why just Priti Patel?

What I think is that you are determined to condemn Patel at all costs and refuse to see that she is being held to different standards than other politicians. If you can’t see that she might have been treated differently to others, you have missed the point entirely.

@Iamthewombat - do you think Sir Alex Allen adjusted standards of behaviour in order to find Priti Patel in breach of the ministerial code, then?

Priti Patel is a bully. She has been accused of bullying. A formal investigation concluded that she is a bully. She admits to bullying behaviour. Her boss says she's an unintentional bully who has learnt. She's a fucking bully.

She is not a victim of sexism or racism in this case and to portray her as one does a disgusting disservice to those who experience sexism, racism and bullying.

@Iamthewombat - Alistair Campbell hasn’t been in the post he was accused of bullying in for years. Dominic Cummings is no longer in post. Gordon Brown is no longer Prime Minister. Who are you suggesting I should be campaigning against? Ah - Priti Patel is still in post, isn’t she. I think I’ll start with her, then.

Well she was shouting and swearing, I can’t believe that she went through life until now not knowing that it’s inappropriate behavior towards people.
Just in case if I missed something I’ve checked with my DD, who is 16 and has learning disability. DD was adamant that they are taught at school that shouting and swearing are both wrong.

@SebastianTheCrab

Am I the only one that sees a woman of colour in power accused of bullying and my first reaction is scepticism?

The amount of vitriol Patel gets is completely disproportional and, imo, fueled by sexism and racism.

Yes you are! She's a nasty piece, and had been found out before

Vile, nauseating, hateful, bitchy, smirking = PP
She can now add screaming, swearing bully to that list.
Horrendous behaviour from a horrendous person.
Nothing to do with her sex or colour, Asian women are not exempt from being nasty bitches, that is ridiculous.
She should be sacked. End of.

Did anyone catch Miriam Cates MP on BBC news defending PP and her bullying and making excuses for her. Defending the indefensible. It was downright embarrassing and this from an ex-secondary school teacher. What message is this sending out to children?

The message I have got from people in public life in recent years is that lying, bullying, gaslighting and ignoring codes of conduct is par for the course and what you apparently have to do to be successful.

@Effic

Yes I’m quite clearly stating that the fact that both cases people were fearful of appearing racist if they spoke out against BAME persons that were doing wrong.

You may be surprised to know my ethnicity by the way so stop right there with your weak insinuation.

The woman is vile.

Hahahaha. I’m an ex-senior civil servant. This really isn’t the case. Are you really judging people by your own standards? Just because one senior civil servant didn't do their job properly it doesn't mean they are all the same but even if you were failing to do your job properly do you think that meant it was OK for cabinet ministers to shout and swear at juniors?

I cant even get through these comments. It makes my heart cry.
You all know that Whitehall is one hot bed of unelected white men above the age of 40 who traditionally dictate our lives? You think its MP's, or Borris ( we dont live in a Presidency fyi) . I love the idea of Priti walking in there and causing hell. Ripping up rule books and making stuff happen. Pathetic they all cry bullying- to the press.
I know so many 'chins' with crap army credentials who entered the ' service'. Honestly, bullying by her is probably the most exciting part of their career.
This witch hunt is sexism, by Torys with no backbone and classic leftwing sexism.

@Oooohbehave

She exudes nastiness. Reminds me of my old boss who would be absolutely charming to those on her level or more senior, but was a horror to those who worked beneath her. Unfortunately people like her tend to get away with it.

I think we had the same boss!..

This terrible women is in charge of policing. She (for her own glory and because it isn't far to travel) regularly officiates at the Essex police passing out ceremonies and irritates one and all. The new recruits spend bloody ages in college learning that they are not allowed to swear or shout at each other or at members of the public. They are even not allowed to swear at alleged criminals! But guess what? - this is something most of them knew already! Not their boss though it seems, who is happy to swear and shout at her work colleagues.

Boris Johnson stands with the bully not against. One blokes quit his job because the power player said 'nah mate I don't agree, I'm over ruling you'. Surely there's a case of unfair dismissal.
Unintentional bullying is still bullying. Right set of muppets. Just another thing to add to the ever growing list of the 2020 sh*t show.

@SabrinaThwaite

Why is Alistair Campbell (who wasn’t an MP but was one of the prime movers in the Blair government) now wheeled out on TV as a genial old rogue when he behaved ten times worse than Priti Patel? How come he gets away scot free?

Was Alistair Campbell a Minister of State?

Precisely. There is a difference. However, despite being in the Cummings role, he and Cummings are clearly both odious bullies. I hate to see ruffians like that being lauded years later.