I have to say, I’m not unhappy to see the back of Priti Patel from Government. I have never forgiven her for caving to pressure and withdrawing funding from an innovative and successful project which changed attitudes and behaviour, protecting girls from harassment and violence.  She can’t protect women and girls from violence, but she’s happy to talk about using our aid budget to help out an occupying army against government policy.

It’s quite astounding that Patel wasn’t sacked when the initial revelations about her behaviour came out at the weekend.

Jo Swinson said that there still questions for No 10 over the affair. What exactly did they know and when? Should we expect the resignation of an expendable Special Adviser at some point?

Jo said:

Priti Patel has rightly been forced to step down  for her cover up of meetings with foreign officials and the inappropriate requests for aid to be sent to the Israeli military in the Golan Heights.

This was an appalling error of judgement and is nothing short of a major failure by the British government.

Number 10 must answer questions about their complicity in this scandal. Someone has been deceived, either the British people or the Prime Minister’s office. Whichever it is someone must be held to account.

It is right that Patel has gone but Theresa May’s office now needs to reveal honestly what they knew and when.

Shas Sheehan, our International Development Spokesperson, said:

The Secretary of State clearly and comprehensively broke the ministerial code multiple times.

In normal circumstances the Prime Minister would have sacked her days ago.

One thing is clear, whoever replaces her, unlike their predecessor, should have an understanding that development aid is a force for good in the world.

Now, about that other Minister whose blunder has already caused harm to a young mother in an Iranian jail, separated from her family and most especially her baby. When’s he going. Breath is not being held here.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron’s Musings