Yes, seems she’s a bit of a tyrant.
It’s worth looking into the Indian caste system for clues as to the temperament and social style of women with the name Patel. Including the Home Secretary
Risky to generalise to the particular case perhaps, but her caste is socially ambitious, having originated in Gujurat from agriculturalists who became land-owners, entrepreneurs, and village heads.
They are still motivated highly to climb the codified social ladder of caste, using constitutional arguments to strengthen their case.
Having worked alongside and for ‘upper caste’ Indian women I would characterise them as intellectually combative and ardent feminists who have to work very hard and relentlessly against centuries of (Hindu) male chauvinism and repression.
Personally I have always found them to be warm, witty and generous women, but they don’t take prisoners if they don’t get the respect they know they deserve. I think Priti Patel won’t yield without a fight, and I respect her for that, though I don’t like her politics.
None of those are adjectives Priti brings to mind for me. Especially not the third.
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One wonders how comfortable she really feels, in a country where racial hatred is on the rise.
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I can’t disagree, Anna. But that’s her political face, and people in her position, and of her ethnicity, aren’t going to dissimulate. She’s probably well used to being treated as a ‘paki’ and above her station. She maybe keeps ‘warm and witty’ for those she thinks are worth trusting, until they let her and themselves down.
I’m just guessing, but I think it’s a fair guess.
I’m sure you’re right Peter but it doesn’t excuse her behaviour. If you’re not able to leave your baggage and hangups and insecurities behind you, you shouldn’t take on a leadership role. A leader need to be able to take responsibility, set an example and focus on supporting his/her staff and covering their backs, not his/her own.
I think that to an extent Theresa May had the same issues with insecurity and personal hangups, and that’s one reason why she wasn’t a good leader.
Reported in the media today that Priti is “absolutely livid” that she’s been accused of bullying. If you, as a manager, had been accused of bullying, would you be livid or would you be very concerned that your staff might see you as a bully and anxious to talk to them and straighten things out?
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Again, I have no issue with the points you make about leadership, Anna. I hope I would be very concerned about any strong criticism of my managerial behaviour, and want to discuss it and deal with any failure on my part.
My point is hinted at above by the quote. As usual, the media like a witch hunt, and I reckon that we can look forward to more of those, especially from the right wing press, who can’t help themselves when it comes to bullying women of colour, whatever their role or station. “Uppity blacks”, it’s the political season for it.
With respect Peter the criticism of PP is nothing to do with colour, she’s just crap at her job.
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No Peter, you can’t play the race card and make a person immune from being held to account because of their colour.
Look at how much stick TM got for appearing robotic. And also for bullying MPs through Fiona and Timothy or whatever her henchmen were called.
Personally I think, in her defence, she’s perhaps been used by the Tories - they fast tracked her BECAUSE of what she is, because they thought she would be good for Party image. I think she is too young and immature and she’s been given too much power too soon. If the party had allowed her time to learn and develop and grow into senior roles, she might have had been good for the country and had a great career ahead of her. As it is she’s doing the party image no good.
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It is far too easy and simplistic to say the press are bullying Priti Patel for her colour,when she is basically not good at her job. In fact I would be quicker to call sexism rather than racism
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i am sure that she will be just fine in her job…
…which is to do what she is told by Johnson/Cummings.
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@Peter_Goble “My point is hinted at above by the quote. As usual, the media like a witch hunt”
Is sticking up for Priti Patel just a ruse to get a reaction?
Priti Patel is entirely unsuited to government. I can’t help but feel you are playing devil’s advocate in sticking up for her. As an enthusiastic proponent of the hostile environment I really don’t think she is doing anything to ameliorate conditions for any women of colour. And that is a massive understatement!
She has no place in government (along with the rest of the current front bench!)
I’m willing to yield to wiser counsel in the matter of Priti Patel’s fitness for office and her credentials in the racial discrimination hullabulloo. I don’t endorse her policies and I’m not well positioned to judge her ministerial judgements.
But all your comments are food for thought, and I will digest them. I8
However, I do think racial stereotyping does figure in some media critiques, and thus does need to be called out. I think the term 'playing the race card is an nasty term, with its connotation of cheating to win a hand, and special, ‘unfair’, pleading. I refute both allegations.
As I’ve said before on SF and elsewhere, maybe ad nauseam, I have a 20% stake in an otherwise ‘persons of colour’ family of 5, whose lived experience of subtle and overt racism stretches over 290 years in total, much of it perpetrated by me in my ignorance and denial of it. But I had every reason to believe what they told me.