Priti Patel breaks rules again after secret meeting with billionaire and British Airways

What is the relevance to StatusNow4All? See the link below to a quote from BA who published a statement stating that ‘under the Immigration Act 1971, the company is legally required to assist the Home Office in forced deportations’. We must be concerned about what is happening behind closed doors in breach of the Ministerial code.

Updated 18 September 2021: i News: Home Office deportation charter flights from UK increased as commercial planes were grounded by Covid

‘The Government has shown contempt towards the countries they send these charter flights to – countries like Jamaica where hospitals are close to breaking point dealing with Covid’

More than 1,100 people have been removed from the UK on controversial Home Office charter flights since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, it can be revealed.

The flights are controversial because little is known about their operation and passengers can be handcuffed or fitted with leg and waist restraints.

There were 54 flights in 2020/21, up from just 12 in the previous year. Seven flights also took off in the first four weeks of the current financial year.

11 September 2021: Mirror: Priti Patel breaks rules again after secret meeting with billionaire and British Airways

Home Secretary Prite Patel held a secret meeting with a billionaire and British Airways – Labour is demanding a probe as she is accused of a second breach of the ministerial code

Labour has called for a probe by Cabinet Secretary Simon Case into Priti Patel’s coduct (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Home Secretary Priti Patel was branded a serial offender last night over a secret “lobbying” meeting she brokered between a billionaire Tory donor and British Airways.

In an alleged breach of the ministerial code Ms Patel arranged high level talks at Heathrow Airport’s Hilton Garden Inn without a Home Office official present – as rules dictate.ADVERTISING

The hotel is part of a chain owned by Ms Patel’s friend Surinder Arora.

Only weeks earlier he declared he needed “all the help we can get from government” after Covid led to a 90% fall in bookings. And he has ambitions of building and running a third Heathrow runway.

Tonight Labour called for a probe by Cabinet Secretary Simon Case into the Home Secretary’s conduct.

It is almost exactly the same behaviour by Ms Patel which forced her resignation as International Development Secretary in 2017 when she held unauthorised meetings with Israeli officials.

12 September 2021: Sky News: Priti Patel: Javid backs home secretary amid fresh claims she broke ministerial rules at hotel meeting

Health Secretary Sajid Javid backs his fellow Tory frontbencher, saying she is doing “incredibly well” – as Labour demands an investigation into her conduct following allegations of a “secret lobbying lunch”.

A cabinet colleague has rallied to the defence of the home secretary as she faced fresh claims of breaking ministerial rules over a meeting with a billionaire Tory donor and British Airways.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid gave his backing to Priti Patel, saying she was doing “incredibly well”, as Labour demanded an investigation into her conduct following allegations of her involvement in a “secret lobbying lunch”.

Political opponents have accused her of being “reckless” and a “serial offender” in breaching the ministerial code.

But speaking to Sky News’ Trevor Phillips On Sunday programme, Mr Javid, who himself served as home secretary, said: “It’s a really tough job, and she’s doing really well.

“There’s so many things that she has already done with the legislation that’s been put forward, but I also know as home secretary, you’ll also do a huge amount that never gets into the public eye because it’s not something you can ever talk about publicly.Advertisement

“And, I think it’s obvious to me, having done that job, that she’s carrying out that part of the work here, the stuff that’s never in the public, incredibly well.”

Ms Patel has faced renewed criticism after the Sunday Mirror reported she had arranged a meeting on 11 August at Heathrow Airport’s Hilton Garden Inn, which is part of a chain owned by Conservative donor Surinder Arora.

However, it’s claimed no official from the Home Office was present, which under the rules there should be if government business was discussed.

The ministerial code states: “A private secretary or official should be present for all discussions relating to government business.

“If a minister meets an external organisation or individual and finds themselves discussing official business without an official present – for example at a social occasion or on holiday – any significant content should be passed back to the department as soon as possible after the event.”

14 Feb 2019 (Last Updated January 30th, 2020 08:13) Airport technology: Forced deportations: the role of commercial airlines

Forced deportations are a gruelling reality, and commercial airlines and their staff have regularly found themselves embroiled in violent arrests on board planes. Recently, the International Transport Workers’ Federation put out a call to commercial airlines to take greater responsibility for the safety of their crew and passengers and refuse to assist in forced deportations. […]

Following the release of these adverts, BA published a statement stating that under the Immigration Act 1971, the company is legally required to assist the Home Office in forced deportations: “Not fulfilling this obligation amounts to breaking the law. Airlines only have the right to refuse deportees on the basis that they feel there is a threat to the safety or security of the aircraft, its passengers or the individual,” the statement reads.