Priti Patel? Seriously?

Foreign Secretary? This is sickingly unbelievable. She was sacked for having secret talks, behind the PMs back, with the Israelis.

Proof that the ERG is still having huge influence.

I think talking to the Israelis is essential. Although by now I don’t suppose they will have any inclination to listen to a word we have to say Fleurpepper

What a poor bunch of folk! Thank goodness they are the opposition. Prime Ministers questions tomorrow will be interesting.

ronib

I think talking to the Israelis is essential. Although by now I don’t suppose they will have any inclination to listen to a word we have to say Fleurpepper

All thanks to Lammy. Such an asset. Not.

Freya5 we don’t have assets anymore just liabilities seems to me.

ronib

Freya5 we don’t have assets anymore just liabilities seems to me.

Absolutely.

All thanks to Lammy. Such an asset. Not.

He’s a one trick pony in my opinion. Not got much of worth to say.

ronib

I think talking to the Israelis is essential. Although by now I don’t suppose they will have any inclination to listen to a word we have to say Fleurpepper

Talking to the Israelis is always of value - but not done in secret, without your PM's knowledge, nor that of the cabinet!

Wyllow3 since we’re not going to know what the talks involved and if they were of any value or importance, the fact that BJ and the cabinet were sidelined is not the full story. If Priti Patel has a good working relationship with the Israeli government now is the time to involve her.

I thought the Priti Patel/Israeli thing was in Theresa May’s government, and that she resigned before she was sacked?

Yes you are correct GG13

Yes, it was May, you are right, and she jumped before she was pushed.
I doubt that her secret visit there in 2017 now means she has "a good working relationship" since things have changed so much it's an unknown. We don't know who she saw and there have been massive changes. (other comments re current regime not belonging here!)

The point remains that she was arrogant enough to go alone and go behind the back of the PM and all the cabinet.

Yes the Israeli visit was a big error of judgement on her part. That only had repercussions for her. But if she was let loose with foreign policy the errors of judgement are likely to involve all of us, so I would steer clear, even as a shadow appointment.
As for her relationship with the Israelis being something that could meaningfully help resolve the present crisis, if Netanyhu isn't listening to the US president when it's USA that supplies their offensive and defensive arsenal, I very much dount he's going to be influenced by a UK shadow minister,

The Conservative Friends of Israel should have some political clout with Israel, or not? I don’t know.

Only when they're saying wht Israel wants to hear, I fear.

I can't see that given the current situation. I dont think they give a d* unless we withdraw our very limited military support.

It's also Patel's record of bullying that also means to me she is unsuitable.

Yes Priti spoke unofficially to Israel. Regardless she is not very intelligent. As a person of colour she does not represent me. On the Kemi front we have a problem. Anecdotally I have not found any black person who is supportive of kemi, would be interesting to poll black and asian people in Brixton, Leeds, Bristol to determine their support of Kemi. The Labour front bench will not know how to take Kemi on. This is where her "heritage" will play a strong part and she will be aggressive and in the "face" of Starmer and Rayner and Reeves. They won't know what hit them. In fact they will slip up and may get accused for racism. Double innuendo if Kemi's supporters are referred to as "your people" "your values" that can have two meanings. Expect fireworks at PMQ's. It is likely to be brutal.

Yes her colour is bound to crop up but a person's colour is as irrelevant as their gender.

Totally agree Jackiest and I really hope this doesn’t start coming up as an issue. Thanks for saying what I was thinking.

Why would it be bound to crop up if there were no racism? The fact that Laura Kuenssberg even mentioned is proof that racism exists.

For once, I agree with Badenoch ie that the colour of a person's skin shouldn't be any more relevant than the the colour of their eyes or hair, but the fact is that interviewers do ask the question and the media writes about it.

The point is that what shouldn't happen isn't the same as what doesn't happen, so why does she deny that racism exists?

Unfortunately both racism and sexism exist and in both directions. Discrimination in one direction gets used to justify discrimination in the other direction. It is discrimination that is wrong not the direction it is in.

Sarnia

Another with her own agenda. Ousted very sharpish by Theresa May for having secret meetings with the Israelis. I feel so safe knowing she's in charge.

I love Priti and I’m absolutely delighted to have her back in a central role. A proper Conservative not like the May bot.

Jackiest

Unfortunately both racism and sexism exist and in both directions. Discrimination in one direction gets used to justify discrimination in the other direction. It is discrimination that is wrong not the direction it is in.

I agree with you, but it's an idea which is often ignored.

ronib

The Conservative Friends of Israel should have some political clout with Israel, or not? I don’t know.

The US are the only people with political clout to the Israelis.

Kalm

Yes Priti spoke unofficially to Israel. Regardless she is not very intelligent. As a person of colour she does not represent me. On the Kemi front we have a problem. Anecdotally I have not found any black person who is supportive of kemi, would be interesting to poll black and asian people in Brixton, Leeds, Bristol to determine their support of Kemi. The Labour front bench will not know how to take Kemi on. This is where her "heritage" will play a strong part and she will be aggressive and in the "face" of Starmer and Rayner and Reeves. They won't know what hit them. In fact they will slip up and may get accused for racism. Double innuendo if Kemi's supporters are referred to as "your people" "your values" that can have two meanings. Expect fireworks at PMQ's. It is likely to be brutal.

How do you know how intelligent she is? She may not be an intellectual but that applies to most MP’s and isn’t a necessary attribute in any case.
What do you mean by ‘as a person of colour she doesn’t represent me’?
She doesn’t represent me either, but that’s about her being a Conservative MP rather than a Labour one.
Black/ Asian heritage people in the UK aren’t all alike y’know.