Indian-origin peers, business chiefs sign letter in defence of Priti Patel

Indian-origin peers in the House of Lords, business chiefs and community leaders are among a group of over 90 cross-sector representatives who signed a letter on Friday in support of Priti Patel, Britain's first Indian-origin Home Secretary engulfed in a bullying row amid the resignation of a top civil servant in her ministry.

Describing the 47-year-old senior Cabinet minister as a "tough, assertive and effective leader", the letter published in 'The Daily Telegraph' says they have all worked with Patel in a formal or informal capacity and do not recognise the picture that has been painted of her in recent days.

"She is certainly a tough, assertive and effective leader, but even under extreme pressure she has never crossed a line or lost her temper. She expects high standards, but is always professional," reads the letter.

"Those of us who have been employed by her at difficult times in our lives during illness, a personal crisis or bereavement also know how caring and compassionate she can be," it notes.

The signatories include Conservative Party peers Lord Rami Ranger and Lord Ranbir Singh Suri, business people like Nitin Singhal, Managing Partner of Fresco Global, Ankit Patel, Director of Nationwide-Paper.co.uk, and Trupti Patel, President of the Hindu Forum of Britain, as well as former Charity Commission chief William Shawcross and Australian political strategist Sir Lynton Crosby.

"We are fortunate to have a strong, effective Home Secretary. She is right to ask tough questions of senior civil servants at the Home Office, which has hardly covered itself in glory in recent years," the letter notes, in reference to Sir Philip Rutnam's dramatic resignation as Permanent Secretary in the UK Home Office amid allegations that Patel shouted and belittled her aides in the ministry.

"It is vital for our democracy that good ministers cannot be brought down by smears and gossip when they attempt to tackle serious issues in their departments.

"Far from the unjust treatment she has received this week, the Home Secretary deserves the wholehearted support of the people of Britain as she attempts to turn around the performance of a vital but notoriously dysfunctional department," the letter concludes.

The letter of support comes as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told MPs in the House of Commons earlier this week that he was "sticking by" Patel because she is an outstanding minister.

"My instinct is very much to 'stick with Priti' as they say. She is doing an outstanding job facing a lot of headwinds, Johnson later reiterated his support to the ITV channel on Thursday.

"I have made it clear to all my friends in Cabinet that I don't like bullying. But I think Priti is doing an outstanding job," he said.

The UK Cabinet Office has opened an internal inquiry under the ministerial code of conduct into the flurry of bullying allegations against Patel. But the Opposition Labour Party has demanded an independent lawyer-led inquiry into the allegations and demanded that Patel step down while it is conducted.

Meanwhile, Rutnam has begun the process to take legal action against the UK government against what he says was his "constructive, unfair dismissal" from the UK Home Office.