LAWYERS acting on behalf of senior civil servants issued a pre-action notice to Downing Street on Wednesday(9) accusing prime minister Boris Johnson of acting unlawfully to clear home secretary Priti Patel of bullying her officials.
The notice states that if it were allowed to stand it would set a 'damaging precedent' that would exempt ministers from being bound by normal employment practices, reported The Times.
“If the prime minister’s decision stands it sets a damaging precedent which gives carte blanche to the kind of unacceptable conduct which the home secretary was found to have committed,” a letter sent to government lawyers states.
“Civil servants in the Home Office and beyond will rightly object to their conduct being measured against a standard of conduct and unacceptable bullying which, it seems, does not apply to the home secretary or other ministers.”
The report said that if the challenge succeeds, the government will be forced to make public the full Cabinet Office investigation into Patel’s behaviour. In the report, Sir Alex Allan, concluded that her behaviour amounted to bullying.
He resigned last month after refusing a request by Johnson to tone down his report.
The action is being brought by the FDA union, which represents more than 500 senior officials working in the Home Office. It also represents Sir Philip Rutnam, who resigned as permanent secretary in the department and made public his concerns at Patel’s behaviour.
Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA, said that challenging the prime minister in the courts was not a decision to be taken lightly.
"It was vital to protect the interests of civil servants who might find themselves in a similar situation in the future," he told The Times.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)