TORIES last night accused civil servants of sexism against Priti Patel.
They backed the Home Secretary after top mandarin Sir Philip Rutnam resigned claiming she had waged a vicious campaign against him.
But ex-minister Nusrat Ghani said: “She is incredibly determined. Within men that is seen as a fantastic skill and for women sometimes it’s seen as challenging.”
Ex-Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith called Sir Philip “basically incompetent” and said there was “a touch of misogyny” in briefings against Ms Patel.
He told HOAR: “There are reports of shouting and screaming – you only have to substitute this for the word hysterical and you know exactly what they mean.”
He said too many civil servants in the Home Office think they are the “masters” of politicians, not their “servants”.
Sir Philip — dubbed Sir Calamity — said he was the victim of a brutal briefing war and vowed to sue.
Yesterday, PM Boris Johnson said: “I absolutely do have confidence in Priti Patel.
“I think she is a fantastic Home Secretary.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said she was in tune with the public on law and order.
He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “She is probably closer to where the public are on the issues of law and order than any home secretary in recent history.
“I think she drives things forward.
“Now, I also think she is extremely courteous, and in every dealing I’ve had with her she has been very courteous.”
No10 did not comment on reports about the latest complaint about Ms Patel.
