Secretary Priti Patel faces calls to quit after 12 meetings with the prime minister and other top figures during a ‘family vacation’ in August come to light.
The international development secretary Priti Patel apologised on Tuesday for holding 12 meetings, including one with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, on a private trip.
Thersa May’s spokesman highlighted that the country’s army runs a hospital for Syrian refugees, but said the UK currently provides no financial support to Israeli forces and that there would be no change in policy.
Prime Minister Theresa May said she had spoken to Patel, who had been “reminded of her obligations” as a cabinet minister.
Patel was accompanied by Lord Polak, the honorary president of Conservative Friends of Israel, who told the BBC that the meetings were informal and “all very innocent.”
On returning, Ms Patel commissioned Department for International Development work on disability and humanitarian and development partnerships between Israel and the UK.
“Priti Patel must now explain her actions in full before Parliament.”Some political figures have accused Patel of trying to court pro-Israel donors who could fund a future leadership challenge.Opposition parties had called for Patel to resign if it emerges that she breached the ministerial code of conduct.
