Picture copyright PA Wire House Secr
Picture copyright
PA Wire
House Secretary Priti Patel has repeatedly refused to seem in entrance of a choose committee to debate the coronavirus outbreak.
Ms Patel has turned down 4 invites since January, providing non-public briefings with ministers and officers as an alternative.
A House Workplace supply mentioned it was a “disgrace” the House Affairs Committee’s chair had turned down the briefings.
Ms Patel says she would attend “in direction of the tip of the month”.
BBC House Affairs correspondent Danny Shaw described the letters between Ms Patel and Labour’s Yvette Cooper as “acrimonious”.
Ms Patel was appointed by Boris Johnson as dwelling secretary in July 2019, however has solely appeared in entrance of the committee as soon as – in October.
The House Workplace supply mentioned the supply was of “unprecedented entry” to House Workplace info together with “categorized and operationally delicate briefings by ministers and officers”.
“Nonetheless, the house secretary has already supplied to seem earlier than the committee on the first mutually handy date to replace them on her work to maintain the nation protected throughout this unprecedented time.”
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Ms Cooper wrote to the house secretary on three April.
She instructed Ms Patel the committee had set a date of 15 April to listen to proof from her, saying “there isn’t a motive for additional delay”.
However 4 days later, the house secretary responded, writing: “I’m disenchanted on the more and more adversarial tone of our exchanges.”
Ms Patel as an alternative mentioned she would solely seem “in direction of the tip of the month”.
Ms Cooper has now written once more, saying different secretaries of state have appeared recurrently earlier than different committees – however she has but to obtain a reply.