Priti Patel quits as Home Secretary ahead of expected sacking of Liz Truss

Priti Patel was widely expected to be sacked when Liz Truss reshuffles her Cabinet - with hardline Attorney General Suella Braverman as the next Minister of Justice. 'Interior

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Priti Patel resigns as Home Secretary

Priti Patel has said she is stepping down as Home Secretary and will not be in Liz Truss' cabinet.

Top Tory said it was 'my choice to continue my public service to the country and to Witham constituency from the backbenches' as she jumped before being pushed .

She was widely expected to be sacked when Ms Truss reshuffles her cabinet - with hardline Attorney General Suella Braverman tipped to be the next Home Secretary.

But Ms Patel tried to suggest she was choosing to step down rather than be forced by the new Prime Minister.

"I congratulate Liz Truss on being elected our new leader and I will support her as the new Prime Minister," her letter to Boris Johnson said.

"It is my choice to continue my public service to the country and to Witham constituency from the backbenches, once Liz officially takes office and a new Minister for Interior will be named."

Boris Johnson was a supporter of Priti Patel (

Picture:

POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Ms Patel has been Home Secretary since Boris Johnson became Tory leader in July 2019 and was International Development Secretary under Theresa May before she was sacked for holding unauthorized meetings with Israeli officials in 2017 .

She has been a divisive figure at the Home Office, chairing Rwanda's controversial deportation program as she struggles to cope with the growing number of asylum seekers arriving in Britain on small boats.

Ms Patel sought to blame 'activist lawyers' for the Government's failure to launch the scheme

Mr. Johnson stood by her when her ethics chief discovered she had yelled at and insulted her officials in actions "which can be described as intimidation".

Sir Alex Allan, the Prime Minister's adviser on Ministerial Standards, discovered in November 2020 that she had breached the Ministerial Code through her conduct - 'even if it was unintentional'.

But the Prime Minister said he would "stay with Prit" and keep her in the job. Sir Alex then resigned.