The controversy that led to the resignation started after it became public that Patel met senior Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during her family holiday to Israel last August
A 'family holiday' to Israel and meeting Israeli politicians on her trip has cost Priti Patel - an Indian-origin Conservative Party politician in the UK - her cabinet minister's post and possibly her political career.
Patel, who was the UK’s Secretary of State for International Development, resigned from her post on Wednesday after her meetings with Israeli politicians and officials during the holiday became public.
The controversy that led to the resignation started after it became public that Patel met senior Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during her 'family holiday' to Israel last August.
Though the visit was personal and the trip was paid for by Patel, the revelation that she met key political figures without informing authorities and was accompanied by Lord Polak, president of Conservative Friends of Israel was termed as a serious breach of protocol.
It was also learnt that Patel, following the visit had discussed in the UK, the prospect of providing aid to Syrian refugees, through Israeli armed forces that run hospitals at Golan Heights that the UK has not recognised as Israeli territory.
Patel soon responded by acknowledging her mistake and apologising for conducting meetings without informing the foreign ministry. The UK Prime Minister's office at Downing Street had made it clear that Prime Minister May had accepted her apology and with Patel flying to Africa for an official visit it seemed that the matter was over.
However, another revelation that Patel conducted additional meetings with Israeli officials after her holiday including one at the parliament complex with Israeli minister Gilad Erdan that she allegedly had kept a secret from May made matters worse.
Patel who was asked to cancel her African tour was immediately summoned by Prime Minister back to London. After this, on Wednesday, Patel tendered her resignation.
According to PTI, Patel in her resignation letter, apologised again and said her actions "fell below the standards of transparency and openness that I have promoted and advocated".
Patel's resignation is being seen as an anti-climax as many expected that she was on her way to becoming the future leader of the UK. An unflinching Thatcherite, Patel was one of the most vocal supporter of Britain's exit from the European Union and enjoyed immense faith from Theresa May. It is also a blow to the ruling Conservative Party which is facing one crisis after another.
(With inputs from PTI)
