In his first act as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has undertaken a major cabinet reshuffle, sacking over half of Theresa May's ministers, with those who remain typically having been moved to other posts.
In some cases, the new appointees are extremely controversial – none more so perhaps than new Home Secretary Priti Patel, whose predecessor Sajid David is now Chancellor of the Exchequer.
A former British American Tobacco lobbyist and staunch supporter of the death penalty who suggested using the threat of food shortages as leverage in negotiations with Ireland over the ‘backstop', Patel was forced to resign International Development Secretary in November 2017 after it was revealed she'd had 12 secret meetings with Israeli government officials in August that year without apprising her own department, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the Prime Minister, a serious breach of the ministerial code.
Patel initially claimed she'd been in israel “on a family holiday” she herself paid for, but subsequently admitted the meetings were “arranged by” israel lobbyist Stuart Polak, a member of Britain's unelected upper chamber, the House of Lords, and key figure in the Conservative Friends of Israel group. She was accused by government insiders of trying to win favour with wealthy pro-Israeli Conservative donors, seeking funding for a potential future leadership campaign.
After returning from her illicit jaunt, Patel is reported to have asked fellow…
