High Court challenge to Boris Johnson's Patel bullying denial

Boris Johnson faces a High Court challenge next week over his decision that Home Secretary Priti Patel was not guilty of bullying staff.

The prime minister chose not to sack Ms Patel after a 2020 report on her behaviour towards Home Office workers.

But the FDA senior civil servants' is set to argue in court that there was "clear evidence" of bullying by Ms Patel.

The BBC has approached the Home Office for a comment.

The High Court will hear the FDA's application for a judicial review of the prime minister's decision on Wednesday and Thursday next week.

In November last year, an inquiry carried out by Mr Johnson's then head of standards, Sir Alex Allan, found that Ms Patel had "unintentionally" broken the ministerial code, governing standards in office.

Her approach to staff had "on occasions... amounted to behaviour that can be described as bullying in terms of the impact felt" by individuals, it added.

But the prime minister, who oversees the ministerial code, kept Ms Patel in post, saying she was not a "bully" and there had been "mitigating" circumstances behind her behaviour.

Sir Alex resigned following the decision.

The FDA's case is seen to have wider constitutional implications, with the government arguing that the ministerial code - overseen by an elected politician - is and should remain separate from the courts.

The union's general secretary, Dave Penman, said: "Civil servants should expect to work with ministers without fear of being bullied or harassed.

"The prime minister... has a duty to ensure that civil servants can work with ministers without fear of being bullied or harassed."

Mr Penman added that, in agreeing with Ms Patel's "assertion that her actions were unintentional", could allow other ministers "to avoid the consequences of their behaviour in future by pleading that it should be the intent of their actions which is important, not the consequences".

The prime minister has previously said that he has full confidence in Ms Patel and that he considers the matter closed.