Priti Patel’s vacation to Israel certainly has the feeling of a busman’s holiday to it. The international development secretary is now admitting she met several Israel cabinet ministers, as well as the country’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, during the summer trip which she paid for herself. Patel’s big problem doesn’t only stem from these undeclared meetings, however, but her reaction to them, which has turned this story into something toxic which could cost Patel her job in the cabinet.
Last week, when it emerged she had held these meetings with Israeli politicians, Patel was adamant that Boris knew all about it. She told the Guardian:
‘Boris Johnson knew about the visit. The point is that the Foreign Office did know about this, Boris knew about (the visit). It is not on, it is not on at all’.
Now it turns out he didn’t – at least not in advance.
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