Repeated Bullying By Your Boss

[Jdsk]

Reaction from the Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life:
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/24/pms-ethics-adviser-queries-johnsons-role-in-priti-patel-inquiry

and the previous Chair:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/nov/23/priti-patel-refusal-blow-integrity-government-committee-standards-public-life-bullying

Jonathan

[Psamathe]

Johnson doesn't even seem to know where he stands. One day he's dismissing bullying despite his own inquiry finding bullying happened. Next day he's writing to Civil Service saying bullying mts never be tollerated.

Any now today he's

'I make no apology for standing by Priti Patel,' says Boris Johnson
...
Johnson accused Starmer of focusing on 'trivia' and accused Labour of 'bashing' Patel, who had apologised

So he now thinks bullying is "trivia" (at least if the bully is one of his mates) and that not saying sorry for bullying but saying sorry if her behaviour upset anybody is enough. It completely beggars belief and he is (supposed to be) leading the country. Good grief, words fail me.

Ian

[Oldjohnw]

So she apologized for something he said she never did.

I'm confused!

[Bonefishblues]

You might call it a sorry saga...

[Psamathe]

I think this is yet another illustration of Johnson's poor judgement. He seems to make daft decisions on the assumption they'll be a short outcry and "it will all brow over" - but it doesn't. Maybe through his elitist protected life he's got away with inappropriate decisions/actions but as PM it doesn't work quite the same way. So now

Union takes legal action over Boris Johnson’s decision to clear Priti Patel of bullying
...
The notice, which is the first step towards a judicial review of the decision, stated: “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.

“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.”

Ian

[thirdcrank]

It's amazing to see what is becoming accepted as quite normal.

Essex lorry deaths: Trial was halted after Priti Patel tweet

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-55403058

This isn't some anonymity anonymously tweeting but one of the most senior actors in the country's legal system with access to all the legal advice they might need.

The BBC headline is misleading in that it implies the trial had to be discontinued which is not the case. The judge discussed the tweet with the counsel involved in the case and decided a warning to the jury would be adequate. Nevertheless, the judge might have felt obliged to stop the trial and order a re-trial with a different jury, or the defence might have appealed on the grounds it was a miscarriage of justice.