Misplaced Pages

Shorncliffe Army Camp

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
#789210

92-444: Shorncliffe Army Camp is a British Army installation near Cheriton in Kent , established in 1794. The camp, described as "the birthplace of the modern British Army", previously consisted of Ross Barracks, Burgoyne Barracks, Somerset Barracks, Napier Barracks, Risborough Barracks and Sir John Moore Barracks, however, due to closures, the latter is all that remains in military use. The camp

184-717: A Thatcherite and has attracted attention for her socially conservative stances. Patel was born in London to a Ugandan-Indian family. She was educated at Keele University and the University of Essex . Inspired to get involved in politics by the Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher , she was involved with the Referendum Party before switching allegiance to the Conservatives. She worked for

276-636: A backbencher , Patel was Vice-Chair of the Conservative Friends of Israel and co-wrote a number of papers and books, including After the Coalition (2011) and Britannia Unchained (2012). Under the coalition government of Cameron, she served as Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury from 2014 to 2015. After the 2015 UK general election , Cameron promoted her to Minister of State for Employment , attending Cabinet . A longstanding Eurosceptic , Patel

368-741: A points-based immigration system , an asylum deal with Rwanda to address the English Channel migrant crossings , advocated the passage of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 , and approved the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States. She was also found to have breached the Ministerial Code in relation to incidents of bullying. Following the resignation of Johnson and subsequent election of Liz Truss as Prime Minister, Patel resigned as Home Secretary on 6 September 2022. After

460-565: A "Jewels of Gujarat" award in Ahmedabad , India, and in the city she delivered a keynote speech to the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce. At the 2015 UK general election , Patel was re-elected with an increased vote share of 57.5% and an increased majority of 19,554. During the campaign, she had criticised Labour Party rival John Clarke for referring to her as a " sexy Bond villain " and a " village idiot " on social media; Clarke apologised. After

552-602: A UK Visas & Immigration factsheet titled Contingency Asylum Accommodation Ministry of Defence sites , "The sites are being used to accommodate single, adult male asylum seekers. These are people who have claimed asylum in the United Kingdom, and whose asylum claims are under consideration." The camp is operated by Clearsprings Ready Homes . On 26 January 2021, in a debate in the House of Commons titled UK Border: Covid Protections , Zarah Sultana said that "One hundred people in

644-509: A brighter future for Britain and signalling to the world that we are open for business". On 1 October 2021, Patel banned the use of EU Identity Cards as a travel document for entering the UK, stating that almost half of all false documents detected at the UK border the year previous were ID cards. In February 2022, Patel also scrapped the tier 1 investor visa for wealthy people outside of the EU who invest in

736-400: A claim of "protected disclosure" under whistleblowing laws. A ten-day employment tribunal hearing was scheduled for September 2021, at which it was expected Patel would be called to appear. In November 2020, a Cabinet Office inquiry found evidence that Patel had breached the ministerial code following allegations of bullying in the three Government Departments in which she had served. It

828-517: A complaint against Patel, claiming that she had acted "inappropriately" in urging Sajid Javid to approve the construction of an out-of-town retail park after it had already been rejected by Colchester Council. Patel was critical of the UK's decision to invest DFID funds to support the Palestinian territories through UN agencies and the Palestinian Authority . In October 2016, she ordered

920-537: A comprehensive school in Watford before going up to read Economics at Keele University . She then pursued postgraduate studies in British Government and Politics at the University of Essex . The former Conservative leader and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher became her political heroine: according to Patel, she "had a unique ability to understand what made people tick, households tick and businesses tick. Managing

1012-629: A convenience store in Kampala . In the 1960s, her parents emigrated to the UK and settled in Hertfordshire . They established a chain of newsagents throughout London and the South East of England . She was raised in a Hindu household. Her father Sushil was a UKIP candidate for Bushey South seat within Hertsmere District at the 2013 Hertfordshire County Council election . Patel attended

SECTION 10

#1732848340790

1104-630: A dramatic growth of Cheriton in the second half of the 19th century. This led to the distinction being lost between Cheriton and Folkestone , whose expansion was funnelled westward by the escarpment of the Downs. Construction of the Channel Tunnel began in 1988 and it opened in 1994. The passenger terminal is wedged between the Downs and the M20 motorway just west of Castle Hill, and freight trains are marshalled at Dollands Moor Freight Yard further west. Cheriton

1196-742: A general election. In November 2017, Patel was critical of the UK Government Brexit negotiations and stated: "I would have told the EU in particular to sod off with their excessive financial demands." After becoming Prime Minister in July 2016, May appointed Patel to the post of Secretary of State for International Development . According to the New Statesman , some staff at the department were concerned about Patel's appointment, because of her support for Brexit and her longstanding scepticism regarding International Development and Aid spending. On taking

1288-898: A lack of safety measures had contributed to a "significant" risk of injury and death from fires or from COVID-19 . In November 2021, following the November 2021 English Channel disaster , the French Government withdrew an invitation to Patel to attend a meeting about the Channel boats crisis, after Johnson called on France to take back people who crossed the Channel to the UK in small boats. In March 2022, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said many Ukrainian refugees had been turned away by British officials in Calais and told to obtain visas at UK consulates in Paris or Brussels. In April 2022, Patel visited

1380-716: A majority of Weber Shandwick employees were uncomfortable working with them, Patel's group was fairly relaxed. The article also quoted internal documents specifying that a part of Patel's job was also to lobby MEPs against EU tobacco regulations. She worked for Weber Shandwick for three years. Patel then moved to the British multinational alcoholic beverages company, Diageo , and worked in corporate relations between 2003 and 2007. In 2007, she rejoined Weber Shandwick as Director of Corporate and Public Affairs practices. According to their press release, during her time at Diageo, Patel had "worked on international public policy issues related to

1472-422: A new breed of soldier more akin to the soldiers of the modern British Army than their contemporaries. Using the "Shorncliffe Method", devised by Lt-Col Kenneth Mackenzie , the soldiers were taught to think for themselves and act on initiative. A high proportion of them were literate, which was unusual for the time. Moreover, in an age when many officers received no training, the light infantry officers drilled with

1564-567: A pamphlet published by the TaxPayers' Alliance which called for the International Development budget to be reformed, and for the UK alone to decide what constitutes aid, rather than international organisations. Patel was appointed Home Secretary by Johnson in July 2019. Shortly after her appointment, news transpired that, in May 2019, Patel began working for Viasat as a strategic adviser on

1656-664: A plot of land on the High Street and a bequest of £10,000 for the construction of a church. All Souls was designed by Ewan Christian and consecrated on 3 January 1895. St. Nicholas is a small rural church in the outlying village of Newington . The barracks had the largest garrison church in Britain but in 2001 it was sold for conversion into a theatre (see above). The three active churches are served by Revd Hilary Jones, who lives in St Martin's Rectory, Horn Street. Cheriton Baptist Church

1748-581: A report by the Youth Empowerment and Innovation Project said that Patel's approach to tackling youth radicalisation was "madness" and the Home Office had been "disengaged". After the murder of Sir David Amess , Patel asked all police forces in the United Kingdom to review security arrangements for Members of Parliament . In February 2020, Patel launched a points-based immigration system , which took effect from 1 January 2021. The system aims to reduce

1840-510: A result of fire. Arrests have been made by Kent Police in connection with a disturbance at the site on the same day. In a tweet, the Home Secretary described the damage and destruction as "deeply offensive to the taxpayers of the country". The units stationed here during the Napoleonic wars greatly affected military history from this point onward. The light infantry trained at Shorncliffe were

1932-605: A review of the funding procedure, temporarily freezing approximately a third of Britain's aid to the Palestinians during the review. In December 2016, DFID announced significant changes concerning future funding for the Palestinian Authority. DFID stated that future aid would go "solely to vital health and education services, in order to meet the immediate needs of the Palestinian people and maximise value for money". This move

SECTION 20

#1732848340790

2024-456: A salary of £5,000 a month for five hours' work a month, without seeking prior approval from the Government's Advisory Committee on Business Appointments , leading to accusations that she had broken the ministerial code for a second time. At the 2019 UK general election , Patel was again re-elected with an increased vote share of 66.6% and an increased majority of 24,082 votes. In January 2020,

2116-600: Is Sir John Moore Barracks, after the other 4 barracks were demolished and land sold to make way for a new 1200 home housing estate. Below is a list of the units currently based at the location. British Army Community Cadet Forces The Shorncliffe Military Cemetery serving the camp is also property of the Ministry of Defence. Three Victoria Cross recipients are buried here: It contains more than 600 Commonwealth war graves from both world wars. There are 471 from World War I, including more than 300 Canadians, and 6 members of

2208-560: Is a British politician who has served as Shadow Foreign Secretary since November 2024, having previously served as Home Secretary from 2019 to 2022. A member of the Conservative Party , she was Secretary of State for International Development from 2016 to 2017. Patel has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Witham since 2010 . She is ideologically on the right wing of the Conservative Party; she considers herself to be

2300-527: Is just along the High Street from All Souls. St Joseph's Catholic Church is between the two, on Ashley Avenue. Cheriton Bowls Club has a 6-rink green on Weymouth Road. Kent County Cricket Club first played cricket against Sussex on Sandgate Plain in 1862, but the last match recorded there was in 1870. It was located to the east of the remains of the martello tower to the south of the A259 Sandgate Road . Odo of Cheriton ( c .1185 – 1246/47)

2392-520: The Chinese Labour Corps . There are 81 buried from World War II, including one unidentified British soldier and a Polish war grave. A screen wall memorial lists 18 Belgian soldiers who were originally buried in a now-demolished mausoleum . Cheriton, Kent Cheriton is a northern suburb of Folkestone , in the Folkestone and Hythe , in the county of Kent , England. It is the location of

2484-613: The European Union (EU), Patel was touted as a likely "poster girl" for the Vote Leave campaign. Patel said that the EU is "undemocratic and interferes too much in our daily lives". She publicly stated that immigration from elsewhere in the EU was overstretching the resources of UK schools. She helped to launch the Women for Britain campaign for anti-EU women; at their launch party, she compared their campaign with that of Emmeline Pankhurst and

2576-636: The Government of Israel which breached the Ministerial Code , causing May to request Patel's resignation as International Development Secretary. She was forced to resign from her Cabinet position as the Secretary of State for International Development after it occurred that she misled the public about her undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials in secrecy. Under Boris Johnson 's premiership, Patel became Home Secretary in July 2019. In this role, she launched

2668-412: The House of Commons that Somerset Barracks was to close. In January 2023, it was reported that so far 547 new homes had been built on the site of the former barracks - and there were 653 more to go. Somerset Barracks were demolished and replaced with new houses and flats, much of Burgoyne Barracks had also been flattened and some of the new properties had been built. The demolition of Risborough Barracks

2760-598: The Royal Gurkha Rifles occupy Shorncliffe Camp so Nepali people make up a large part of the population. The local economy is dominated by the barracks and Channel Tunnel terminal. The Folkestone & Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society bought the garrison church in 2001 and converted it into the Tower Theatre . There is a branch library in the High Street. The Folkestone White Horse overlooks Cheriton from

2852-503: The Suffragettes , for which she was criticised by Emmeline's great-granddaughter Helen Pankhurst. Following the success of the " Leave " vote in the EU referendum, Cameron resigned, resulting in a Conservative Party leadership contest. Patel openly supported Theresa May as his successor, stating that she had the "strength and experience" for the job, while arguing that May's main challenger Andrea Leadsom would prove too divisive to win

Shorncliffe Army Camp - Misplaced Pages Continue

2944-509: The press office of the Referendum Party . In 1997, Patel rejoined the Conservative Party having been offered a post to work for the new leader William Hague in his press office, dealing with media relations in London and the South East of England. In August 2003, the Financial Times ( FT ) published an article citing quotes from Patel and alleging that "racist attitudes" persisted in

3036-553: The " A-List " of Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidates (PPC). In November 2006, Patel was adopted as the PPC for the notionally safe Conservative seat of Witham , which was a new constituency in central Essex created after a boundary review . At the 2010 general election , Patel was elected to Parliament as MP for Witham, winning 52.2% of the vote and a majority of 15,196. Along with fellow Conservative MPs Kwasi Kwarteng , Dominic Raab , Chris Skidmore and Liz Truss , Patel

3128-590: The British Government could reduce aid by 10% if specific criteria were not met by the recipient country. In September 2016, she expressed opposition to the construction of 28 affordable homes at the Lakelands development in Stanway , referring to it as an "unacceptable loss of open space" and criticising Colchester Borough Council for granting permission. That same month, the Council's Chief Executive Adrian Pritchard issued

3220-488: The Conservative Party's loss in the 2024 General Election , Patel stood in the 2024 Conservative Party leadership election but was eliminated in the first MP ballot. Upon Kemi Badenoch's victory in the leadership election, Patel was appointed Shadow Foreign Secretary. Born on 29 March 1972 to Sushil and Anjana Patel in London, her paternal grandparents were born in Gujarat , India, before emigrating to Uganda , and running

3312-498: The Conservative Party, and that "there's a lot of bigotry around". Patel wrote to the FT countering its article, stating that her comments had been misinterpreted to imply that she had been blocked as a party candidate because of her ethnicity . In 2000, Patel left her job with the Conservative Party to work for Weber Shandwick , a PR consulting firm. According to an investigative article published by The Guardian in May 2015, Patel

3404-646: The Downs north of the Channel Tunnel terminal. The earthworks of Folkestone Castle are just to the east. Cheriton Halt railway station on the South Eastern Main Line served the village between 1908 and 1947. It was just east of the bridge on Risborough Lane. The Elham Valley Way is a long-distance path that runs between Cheriton and Sandgate on its way up to Canterbury. Stagecoach in East Kent operates local bus services to Canterbury every hour or to

3496-649: The Electoral Commission reported that there was no evidence that Britain Stronger in Europe had breached any laws on campaign spending. In December 2018, during the UK's Brexit negotiations, a government report was leaked which indicated that food supplies and the economy in the Republic of Ireland could be adversely affected in the event of a no-deal Brexit . Following the report, Patel commented: "This paper appears to show

3588-465: The English Channel to Britain because they believed that France was a "racist country" where they may be "tortured". Patel said she did not share those views, but it was a reason why many migrants were crossing the Channel. Patel has vowed to make the Channel "unviable" for migrant boats. In September 2020, Patel suggested that Ascension Island , which is more than 4,000 miles (6,400 km) from

3680-607: The English terminal of the Channel Tunnel as well as of the major army barracks of Shorncliffe Camp . The coastal plain where the North Downs meet the Strait of Dover has been of strategic importance since ancient times. Portus Lemanis was a major Roman harbour, overlooked by a fort near where Lympne Castle now stands. The Normans built Folkestone Castle on a spur of Cheriton Hill . The church of St Martin dates back to Saxon times and

3772-485: The Foreign Office have known about this. It is not about who else I met; I have friends out there. Patel faced calls to resign, with numerous political figures calling her actions a breach of the ministerial code , which states: "Ministers must ensure that no conflict arises, or could reasonably be perceived to arise, between their public duties and their private interests, financial or otherwise". On 6 November, Patel

Shorncliffe Army Camp - Misplaced Pages Continue

3864-459: The Government for constructive dismissal , and that he did not believe Patel's assertion that she had been uninvolved in an alleged campaign briefing against him. Rutnam alleged that Patel had orchestrated a "vicious" campaign against him. Several days later, Patel sent an email to Home Office staff in which she expressed regret at Sir Philip's decision to resign and thanked him for his service. In April 2020, Rutnam announced that he would be making

3956-504: The High Court that "civil servants should expect to work with ministers without fear of being bullied or harassed". Penman argued that if Johnson's decision was not "corrected" by the court, "his interpretation of the Ministerial Code will result in that document failing to protect workplace standards across government". The case was heard in November 2021 and the application for judicial review

4048-512: The Home Office may have acted unlawfully in changing its asylum accommodation policy during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK . Following the judge's comments, a solicitor representing Patel apologised on her behalf. In June 2021, a High Court judge ruled that the Home Office acted unlawfully by housing asylum seekers in an "unsafe" and "squalid" former army barracks. The judge found that the Home Office failed to look after vulnerable people and noted that

4140-478: The Prime Minister on 6 November. As a result of these further revelations, Patel wPas summoned to Downing Street once more on 8 November, where she met with the Prime Minister and subsequently resigned from her Cabinet position, after 16 months in the post. She was replaced by Penny Mordaunt the following day. Patel claimed that, following her resignation, she was "overwhelmed with support from colleagues across

4232-702: The Rwandan capital of Kigali and signed the Rwanda asylum plan , to fly thousands of migrants who cross the English Channel in lorries or on boats more than 4,000 miles on chartered planes to the African country. The plan has been criticised by many charities, as well as Opposition politicians. In February 2022, Patel commissioned Alex Downer , a former Minister for Foreign Affairs in Australia's Liberal Party , to conduct an independent review of Border Force . Downer's appointment

4324-453: The UK should reduce the size of the welfare state and seek to emulate the working conditions in countries like Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea rather than those of other European nations. In the same year, Patel was elected to the executive of the 1922 Committee . In October 2013, Patel was drafted into the Number 10 Policy Unit , and was promoted as Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury

4416-420: The UK, could be used to build an asylum processing centre. Nick Thomas-Symonds , then– Shadow Secretary of State , said: "This ludicrous idea is inhumane, completely impractical and wildly expensive - so it seems entirely plausible this Tory Government came up with it." In March 2021, Patel published a New Plan for Immigration Policy Statement, which included proposals to reform the immigration system, including

4508-510: The UK, in what was called the start of a "renewed crackdown on illicit finance and fraud". As Home Secretary, Patel has actively sought to sign a number of returns agreements with countries to make it easier to remove foreign nationals who have no right to be in the UK to their country of origin. Such agreements were signed with Albania in July 2021 and Serbia in January 2022. In August 2020, Patel suggested that many migrants were seeking to cross

4600-502: The base of the thirteenth-century tower may have been a Saxon porch. The decorative arcading in the chancel is made of Bethersden marble and is very finely carved. The churchyard contains the grave of shipping reformer Samuel Plimsoll (whose gravestone bears the Plimsoll line ), and, among many military burials, 24 CWGC -registered war graves, with all three armed forces represented, 15 from World War I (Major-General Hubert Hamilton being

4692-462: The camp. During the Second World War , Shorncliffe was again used as a staging post and Queen Mary visited the camp in 1939. From 1967, the camp was home to the Junior Infantryman's Battalion (JIB) and later, the Infantry Junior Leaders Battalion (IJLB) until the dissolution of junior soldier recruitment in 1991. On 2 April 2013, it was announced that land forming part of Shorncliffe Garrison would be sold to create 1,200 new homes. Proceeds from

SECTION 50

#1732848340790

4784-409: The camp—that is, one in four—have tested positive for covid." Home Secretary Priti Patel responded "The reason the base was made available is that in line with Public Health England guidelines, because of coronavirus, we need space for social distancing, which has been absolutely in place." On 29 January 2021, a building providing accommodation to asylum seekers at Napier Barracks suffered damage as

4876-446: The economy, balancing the books and making decisions—not purchasing things the country couldn't afford". She joined the Conservative Party in 1991, when John Major was Prime Minister . After graduating, Patel became an intern at Conservative Central Office (now known as Conservative Campaign Headquarters ), having been selected by Andrew Lansley (then Head of the Conservative Research Department ). From 1995 to 1997, Patel headed

4968-403: The election, Patel became Minister of State for Employment in the Department for Work and Pensions , and was sworn on to the Privy Council on 14 May 2015. In October 2015, a junior employee at the Department for Work and Pensions was dismissed from her role. In response, the employee brought a formal complaint of bullying and harassment against the DWP, including Patel. In 2017, a settlement

5060-456: The first and highest-ranking of the latter) and nine from World War II . The church gives its name to the military training area of St Martin's Plain and now serves Shorncliffe Camp. All Souls’ Church was built in response to the population growth of the late 19th century. The old parish was split along the railway embankment, with the parish of Cheriton Street being formed north of the line. A farmer's widow, Mrs Thompson, died in 1887 leaving

5152-415: The following summer. In October 2014, Patel criticised the plan of the Academies Enterprise Trust to merge the New Rickstones and Maltings Academies, claiming that to do so would be detrimental to school standards. Patel lodged a complaint with the BBC claiming one-sided coverage critical of Narendra Modi on the eve of his victory in 2014 Indian elections . In January 2015, Patel was presented with

5244-512: The gesture of taking the knee. In June 2021, Patel criticised the England national football team for kneeling against racism before their Euro 2020 games, describing it as "gesture politics". She further said that spectators had the "choice" to boo the players for doing so. In July 2021, after England lost the final match , Patel condemned the racist abuse of England players on social media as "vile" and called for police action. England player Tyrone Mings criticised Patel as having "stoke[d]

5336-402: The government were well aware Ireland will face significant issues in a no-deal scenario. Why hasn't this point been pressed home during negotiations?" Some sections of the media reported her comments as a suggestion that Britain should exploit Ireland's fear of damage to its economy and food shortages to advance its position with the EU. She was criticised for insensitivity by several other MPs in

5428-464: The landward side and Sandgate Hill going down to the sea. The Folkestone Downs are the southern end of the North Downs , a low range of chalk hills running from London to the White Cliffs of Dover . The Seabrook Stream flows through the west of the district, cutting a scenic valley between Dibgate Camp and St Martin's Plain . The population in 1851 was 1,658, which by 1861 had grown to 7,434 – of whom 4,204 were military in Shorncliffe Camp. As of 2011

5520-494: The light of Britain's part in Ireland's Great Famine in the 19th century, in which a million people died. Patel stated her comments had been taken out of context. Journalist Eilis O'Hanlon criticised the media's characterisation of Patel's comments as a "manipulative, sinister media-manufactured campaign of character assassination", further elaborating that the "divide between fact and comment broke down entirely in response to Priti Patel's comments". In March 2019, Patel backed

5612-482: The meetings was held at the suggestion of the Israeli Ambassador to London. In contrast, British diplomats in Israel were not informed about Ms Patel's plans." It was also reported that, following the meetings, Patel had recommended that the Department for International Development give international aid money to field hospitals run by the Israeli army in the Golan Heights . On 4 November 2017, in an interview with The Guardian , Patel stated: Boris [Johnson] knew about

SECTION 60

#1732848340790

5704-544: The men. Their battlefield tactics were the embryonic emergence of current military manoeuvres, often fighting in skirmish formation ahead of the British main battle line. In the Victorian era, the Redoubt was converted to a dwelling for the camp commandant. Many of the bricks used in the construction of the house were reused from the original Redoubt building. In 2011, the camp consisted of: Burgoyne Barracks, Sir John Moore Barracks, Napier Barracks, Risborough Barracks and Somerset Barracks. However, all that currently remains

5796-451: The name Cheriton means "Church Farm". The British government purchased a large piece of land at Shorncliffe in 1794 and fortified it in preparation for the expected French invasion. Shorncliffe Redoubt is significant as the birthplace of modern infantry tactics. A Royal Commission was set up in 1859 during another invasion panic, which led to the construction of the Palmerston Forts and Shorncliffe Army Camp . The Army presence led to

5888-476: The number of immigrants to the UK by requiring visa applicants to meet a set of criteria, such as a salary threshold, ability to speak English, academic qualifications and working in an understaffed industry. In Parliament on 13 July 2020, Patel said the system "will enable us to attract the brightest and best – a firmer and fairer system that will take back control of our borders, crack down on foreign criminals and unleash our country's true potential. We are building

5980-434: The political divide" and from her constituents. In May 2018, Patel questioned the impartiality of the Electoral Commission and called for it to investigate Britain Stronger in Europe or to end its inquiry into the Vote Leave campaign. Patel expressed concern that Britain Stronger in Europe had been provided with services by other remain campaigns without declaring the expenditure in the appropriate way. In August 2018,

6072-481: The position, Patel stated that too much UK aid was wasted or spent inappropriately, declaring that she would adopt an approach rooted in "core Conservative principles" and emphasise international development through trade as opposed to aid. In September, Patel announced that the UK would contribute £1.1 billion to a global aid fund used to combat malaria , tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS , and added that any further aid deals would include "performance agreements" meaning that

6164-490: The possibility of offshore processing of undocumented immigrants. In April 2021, 192 refugee, human rights, legal and faith groups signed a letter which condemned a six-week consultation, organised by the Home Office, on these proposals. Signatories of the letter described the consultation as "vague, unworkable, cruel and potentially unlawful". In May 2021, a High Court judge criticised Patel in court and said he found it "extremely troubling" that one of her officials admitted

6256-428: The public domain. According to Downing Street, May learned of the meetings when the BBC broke the story on 3 November. In the days after Patel's meeting with the Prime Minister and public apology, there were further revelations about her contacts with Israel, including details of two more undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials in Westminster and New York in September 2017, that Patel had not disclosed when she met

6348-432: The public not to partake in the UK protests brought about by the murder of George Floyd in the United States , due to the Coronavirus outbreak. She criticised Black Lives Matter demonstrators in Bristol for toppling the statue of Edward Colston , calling it "utterly disgraceful". In February 2021, she described the Black Lives Matter protests that occurred in the UK in 2020 as "dreadful" and said she did not agree with

6440-425: The public relations consultancy firm Weber Shandwick for several years before seeking a political career. After she unsuccessfully contested Nottingham North at the 2005 general election , the new Conservative leader David Cameron recommended Patel for the Party's " A-List " of prospective parliamentary candidates . She was first elected MP for Witham, a new seat in Essex , at the 2010 general election . As

6532-532: The sale would be reinvested to provide "better facilities for service men and women". Taylor Wimpey were confirmed as the preferred bidder. The Royal Gurkha Rifles have been based at Sir John Moore Barracks, Shorncliffe since 2001. 2nd (South East) Brigade was also based in Sir John Moore Barracks until January 2015, when it merged with 11th Light Brigade to form 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East , based at Aldershot Garrison . In November 2016, Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon announced in

6624-513: The town centre of Folkestone up to every 8 minutes. Pent Valley Technology College was one of the main secondary schools in Folkestone and Hythe . The school closed in 2017, however Turner Free School opened in 2018 and occupies the same site as the previous school. There were four churches in the Benefice of Cheriton, which comes under the Deanery of Elham. The church of St Martin is very ancient,

6716-400: The visit. The point is that the Foreign Office did know about this, Boris knew about [the trip]. I went out there, I paid for it. And there is nothing else to this. It is quite extraordinary. It is for the Foreign Office to go away and explain themselves. The stuff that is out there is it, as far as I am concerned. I went on holiday and met with people and organisations. As far as I am concerned,

6808-463: The wider impact of alcohol in society." In the 2005 UK general election , Patel stood as the Conservative candidate for Nottingham North , losing to the incumbent Labour MP Graham Allen . Patel finished in second place and won 18.7% of the vote. After her unsuccessful election campaign, she was identified as a promising candidate by new party leader David Cameron , and was offered a place on

6900-577: Was "absolutely sorry for anyone that I have upset". Commenting on the allegations of bullying The Guardian published a cartoon depicting her as a cow with a ring in its nose. This was alleged by some to be a Hinduphobic , racist and misogynistic reference to her Hindu faith, since cows are considered sacred in Hinduism . In February 2021, the FDA applied for a judicial review of Johnson's decision to support Patel. The union's General Secretary, Dave Penman, told

6992-431: Was a civil parish in its own right, and part of Elham Rural District from 1894 to 1898, when it became a separate urban district . In 1931 the parish had a population of 8089. The parish and urban district were abolished on 1 April 1934 under a County Review Order , and divided between Folkestone and Hythe . Cheriton sits on a level shelf halfway up the escarpment of Folkestone Downs , between Cheriton Hill on

7084-404: Was a leading figure in the Vote Leave campaign for Brexit during the 2016 referendum on UK membership of the European Union . Following Cameron's resignation, Patel supported Theresa May 's bid to become Conservative leader; May subsequently appointed Patel Secretary of State for International Development. In 2017, Patel was involved in a political scandal involving unauthorised meetings with

7176-471: Was a preacher and fabulist who in 1233 inherited land in Cheriton, Rochester and elsewhere from his father, James William of Cheriton. Samuel Plimsoll , the man who gave his name to the Plimsoll line used to indicate the limit of a ship's load, is buried in St Martin's churchyard, as is judge and politician Sir James Knight-Bruce . Priti Patel Dame Priti Sushil Patel DBE (born 29 March 1972)

7268-427: Was accompanied by Lord Polak , Honorary President of Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI). The meetings, up to a dozen in number, took place while Patel was on a "private holiday". Patel met Yair Lapid , the leader of Israel's centrist Yesh Atid party, and reportedly made visits to several organisations where official departmental business was discussed. The BBC reported that "According to one source, at least one of

7360-571: Was again re-elected with an increased vote share of 64.3% and a decreased majority of 18,646 votes. In March 2020, it was reported that while serving as International Development Secretary Patel was alleged to have "harassed and belittled" staff in her private office in 2017. On 3 November 2017, it was revealed that Patel had held meetings in Israel in August 2017 without informing the Foreign Office . She

7452-411: Was considered one of the "Class of 2010" who represented the party's "new Right". Together, they co-authored Britannia Unchained , a book published in 2012. The book was critical of levels of workplace productivity in the UK, making the controversial statement that "once they enter the workplace, the British are among the worst idlers in the world". The authors suggested that to change this situation,

7544-407: Was criticized by Border Force's trade unions because of his support for Australia's widely criticised immigration policies. In July 2022, Downer published his review and concluded that Border Force's overall approach was "ineffective and possibly counterproductive". The report found that while Border Force was "largely delivering what is required of it on a day-to-day-basis" overall the organisation

7636-701: Was established by 1910. Shorncliffe was used as a staging post for troops destined for the Western Front during the First World War , and in April 1915, a Canadian Training Division was formed there. The Canadian Army Medical Corps had general hospitals based at Shorncliffe from September 1917 to December 1918. The camp at that time composed five unit lines known as Moore Barracks, Napier Barracks, Risborough Barracks, Ross Barracks and Somerset Barracks. On three occasions, there were German air raids which killed soldiers on

7728-729: Was established in 1794 when the British Army bought over 229 acres of land at Shorncliffe; it was then extended in 1796 and 1806. It was at Shorncliffe that, in 1803, Sir John Moore trained the Light Division that fought under the Duke of Wellington in the Napoleonic Wars . In 1890, hutted camp facilities were replaced with permanent facilities known as Moore Barracks, Napier Barracks, Ross Barracks, Royal Engineers Barracks (later known as Burgoyne Barracks) and Somerset Barracks. Risborough Barracks

7820-462: Was one of seven Weber Shandwick employees who worked on British American Tobacco (BAT), a major account. The team had been tasked with helping BAT manage the company's public image during the controversy around its Burmese factory being used as source of funds by its military dictatorship and poor payment to factory workers. The crisis eventually ended with BAT pulling out of Myanmar in 2003. The article went on to quote BAT employees who felt that though

7912-505: Was performing at "a suboptimal level". Patel welcomed the report's recommendations. Yvette Cooper , the Shadow Home Secretary , described the review as "incredibly damning" and accused Patel of failing "to get any grip of Britain's borders". In February 2020, Patel came under scrutiny for trying to "force out" Sir Philip Rutnam , the most senior civil servant in her department. Rutnam resigned on 29 February, saying he would sue

8004-447: Was reached for £25,000 after the member of staff threatened to bring a legal claim of bullying, harassment and discrimination on the grounds of race and disability against the department and Patel. In December 2015, Patel voted in support of Cameron's planned bombing of Islamic State targets in Syria. Following Cameron's announcement of a referendum on the UK's continuing membership of

8096-549: Was rejected in a decision published in December 2021. In March 2021, HMG and Rutnam reached a settlement. Rutnam received payment of £340,000 with a further £30,000 in costs. This arrangement meant that Patel would no longer be called to give evidence before a public tribunal, which was due to be held in September 2021. Following the settlement, a Home Office spokesman said that liability had not been accepted. In June 2020, Patel urged

8188-572: Was reported that Patel "had not met the requirements of the ministerial code to treat civil servants with consideration and respect". On 20 November 2020, Alex Allan announced that he had resigned as the Prime Minister's chief advisor on the ministerial code after Johnson rejected the findings of the inquiry and stated that he had "full confidence" in Patel. The FDA union argued that Johnson's response has "undermined" disciplinary procedures. Patel said that she had "never set out to upset anyone" and that she

8280-482: Was summoned to meet May, who then said that Patel had been "reminded of her responsibilities" and announced plans for the ministerial code of conduct to be tightened. Patel released an apology for her actions, and corrected her remarks to The Guardian , which she said gave the false impression that the Foreign Secretary knew about the trip before it happened, and that the only meetings she had had were those then in

8372-557: Was underway. The former stable block at Shorncliffe Garrison in Folkestone is set to be demolished. Napier Barracks - which since 2021 has been used to accommodate asylum seekers - will be the final barracks to be demolished, the government has said it will vacate the site on or before March 25, 2025. On 22 September 2020, Napier Barracks began to be used by the Home Office to provide temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. According to

8464-745: Was widely supported by Jewish groups, including the Jewish Leadership Council and the Zionist Federation . In January 2017, Patel and the Labour MEP Neena Gill were the two UK winners of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman , the highest honour that the Indian Government bestows upon non-resident Indians or people of Indian origin . She was given the award for her public service. At the 2017 UK general election , Patel

#789210