Priti Patel has accused the Foreign Office of attempting to block her reforms to combat Channel migrant crossings in a parting shot after stepping down as home secretary.
The spat was triggered after the Twitter account of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) “liked” a tweet from a Labour MP celebrating Patel’s exit. Zarah Sultana tweeted “good riddance”, adding: “You were an unspeakably cruel home secretary and won’t be missed by anyone with a shred of decency.”
One of the first accounts to “like” the tweet was the FCDO’s official account, although it was swiftly “unliked” and the department said it was a “genuine mistake” by a member of staff.
Boris Johnson remained loyal to Patel despite growing frustration about her performance
ANDREW BOYERS/PA
Patel’s team reacted with fury. A close ally said that the “like” reflected the