Priti Patel enraged MPs today after refusing to attend a rare grilling over her job and controversial policies - like deporting migrants to Rwanda.
The Home Secretary boycotted a hearing of the Home Affairs Committee in Parliament with just hours to go - after her attempt to bid for the Tory leadership fell through.
MPs would have likely asked her to confirm reports that no deportation flight will leave to Rwanda until September at the earliest.
Ms Patel pulled out of the 10am appearance - which was scheduled in April - at almost 4.40pm on Tuesday.
In a letter she said: “The Committee will be aware of the recent changes in Government, and in particular to the ministerial team in my department.
“Regrettably, as a result of this and the wider unprecedented changes since I agreed to give evidence, I will no longer be able to meet with the Committee tomorrow.”
But a source close to the committee fumed: “Her letter is basically a load of rubbish. There’s no reason why she can’t come.
“She has been in office for several years. It wasn’t anything to do with her previous ministers - it was just her and the permanent secretary.”
The committee have asked Ms Patel to appear next week.
But she is trying to meet them in September - by which point she may have been sacked by a new leader, so wouldn’t have to attend.
The source said: “We’ll have lost the opportunity to question her about key issues like the Rwanda policy if she’s reshuffled out in September.”
In a letter to Ms Patel, chair Dame Diana Johnson said: “It is extremely disappointing to hear – at twenty minutes to five the day before your scheduled appearance before the Home Affairs Select Committee on the morning of 13 July 2022 – that you will no longer be giving evidence.
“We have been given to understand that, despite the Prime Minister’s resignation last week, we still have a functioning government.”
Dame Diana pointed out that Ms Patel had specifically stayed in her job because she had to be “entirely focused” on national security.
She told the Tory minister: “We would therefore ask why, a week on, you now feel it is acceptable to avoid a key element of the role – facing up to much needed scrutiny of that essential work.
“The “business of government” absolutely requires scrutiny by Parliament.”
A Home Office spokesperson told The Times: “The Home Secretary will appear at a later date, to be agreed with the committee”.
