London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

Philip Rutnam: £340k payout to official after Priti Patel bullying claims

Philip Rutnam: £340k payout to official after Priti Patel bullying claims

The government has settled with former civil servant Sir Philip Rutnam over his claim for unfair dismissal.

Sources close to Sir Philip confirmed to BBC Radio 4's PM programme that he received £340,000 plus his legal costs.

The ex-Home Office boss quit amid bullying claims against Home Secretary Priti Patel, which she denies.

Labour's Nick Thomas-Symonds has written to Ms Patel to ask how much taxpayers' money has been spent settling the case.

Sir Philip said he had been the victim of a "vicious and orchestrated" briefing campaign after trying to get Ms Patel to change her behaviour.

The claims had been due to be heard at an employment tribunal this September.

The Home Office said the government and Sir Philip had "jointly concluded that it is in both parties' best interests to reach a settlement at this stage".

"The government does not accept liability in this matter and it was right that the government defended the case," a spokesperson said.

The former official was earning more than £150,000 a year as Home Office permanent secretary.

Labour's shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said: "Taxpayers will be appalled at having to pick up the bill for the home secretary's unacceptable behaviour."

In his letter to Ms Patel, Mr Thomas-Symonds asks how much in total the settlement has cost, and whether any other bullying cases have been opened by the Home Office since July 2019.

"This whole episode continues to raise serious questions about standards of behaviour, responsibility and leadership at the highest level of government," he added.

Sir Philip said Home Office staff had come to him with allegations against Ms Patel, including "shouting and swearing" and "belittling people".

His resignation led the Cabinet Office to launch an inquiry into whether Ms Patel had broken the code governing ministers' behaviour.

Boris Johnson's standards chief Sir Alex Allan found that she had - but the PM rejected his findings and kept her in post. Sir Alex resigned in response.

In his report, Sir Alex found Ms Patel's "approach on occasions has amounted to behaviour that can be described as bullying in terms of the impact felt by individuals."

'Completely unintentional'


"To that extent her behaviour has been in breach of the ministerial code, even if unintentionally," he concluded.

The FDA union, which represents senior civil servants, has launched legal action to try to get Mr Johnson's decision overturned at the High Court.

Ms Patel apologised for her alleged behaviour, saying "any upset I have caused was completely unintentional".

Mr Johnson said he did not think Ms Patel was a bully, and had "full confidence" in her.

Priti Patel was appointed home secretary by Boris Johnson after he entered No 10 in July 2019

In a statement issued via the FDA civil servants' union on Thursday, Sir Philip said he was "pleased" the government had settled his unfair dismissal claim.

"I now look forward to the next stages of my career," he added.

'Serious questions'


On its official website, the government said it "regrets the circumstances surrounding Sir Philip's resignation".

"The government and Sir Philip are now pleased that a settlement has been reached to these proceedings," a spokesperson added.

Mr Thomas-Symonds said Ms Patel still had "very serious questions to answer about her conduct", and Mr Johnson had "shown terrible judgement".

"It can't be right that his adviser on ministerial standards resigned when he found that the home secretary bullied colleagues, while the home secretary herself remained in post," he added.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Prison Officer Sentenced for Inappropriate Conduct with Inmate
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
×