Priti Patel reaches £340,000 settlement with ex-Home Office chief Philip Rutnam

Former permanent secretary sued government over alleged bullying by home secretary

Priti Patel has reached a six-figure settlement with a senior civil servant after claims that he was forced out of his job for intervening in her alleged bullying of fellow staff, it has emerged.

Whitehall sources said Sir Philip Rutnam, a former permanent secretary in the Home Office, received a 340,000 settlement with a further 30,000 in costs. He had threatened to take the home secretary to an employment tribunal hearing in September.