Dame Priti Sushil Patel is a UK politician who acted as Home Secretary from 2019 to 2022. She was also Secretary of State for International Development from 2016 to 2017. She has been the Member of Parliament for Witham since 2010. There are concerns that she has worked on behalf of the UAE. Patel also worked at the public relations firm Weber Shandwick from 2000 to 2003. Weber Shandwick has lobbied for Gulf countries.
She was forced to resign from the ministership when it was uncovered that she was driving private meetings without government approval with Israeli government officials while on holiday in Israel.
Ms Patel has also formerly served as Chair of the APPG for Small Shops; as part of the APPG, she hailed the country, saying Britain’s relations with the UAE ‘will go from strength to strength as the UK government seeks to elevate links with the Gulf and boost relations that have not been maximised in recent years.”
In 2012, funded by the UAE government, she travelled to meet the country’s ministers as part of the All Party Group in the country. She also allegedly received £3,500 in travel and accommodation costs from her hosts. In both 2013 and 2014, she returned to the United Arab Emirates, with all-expenses-paid visits to UAE, courtesy of two different companies– first, the World Consulting and Research Corporation in New Delhi, who name itself a ‘brand equity and management firm’ and second, by regular donors to her office, Sun Mark Ltd.
Moreover, In January 2013, Anwar Gargash met with UAE ‘friendly’ MPs over dinner, including the former minister, Priti Patel. In 2021, She signed an agreement as Home Secretary with UAE Minister of State Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh.
The affiliations of Priti Patel raise serious concerns about her impartiality and commitment to serving the interests of the British public. Patel’s tenure reveals a pattern of engagement with entities closely tied to the United Arab Emirates UAE. Moreover, her approval of travel and accommodation expenses from UAE-affiliated sources raises questions about potential conflicts of interest. Her actions gain thorough scrutiny and demand accountability to maintain transparency and integrity in public office.
