Sadiq Khan: A lot of life replicates The Thick of It with aggressive people in power
20 November 2020, 16:26
Sadiq Khan: A lot of life replicates The Thick of It with aggressive people in power
This is the moment Sadiq Khan told LBC that "a lot of life replicates what you see in The Thick of It" while talking about bullying in political workplaces.
The Mayor of London made the comments after a bullying inquiry found that Home Secretary Priti Patel had broken ministerial rules on behaviour.
Boris Johnson has opted not to sack Priti Patel despite the inquiry's findings, prompting his adviser on Ministerial Standards Sir Alex Allan to resign.
Mr Khan told LBC's Shelagh Fogarty: "I am an employer. I've been an employer for some time. But I've also been a minister. And one the things when you become a minister, is you're given a ministerial code.
Bullying inquiry found Patel ‘broke the rules for ministers’
He added: "There appears to be a particular culture that's prevalent now in politics. I think, I know from personal experience, there is this sort of culture of machoism and there's too many alpha males and alpha females around.
"[There's] this impression [that] to be successful, you've got to be aggressive and there's got to be an environment of bullying taking place.
Is Priti Patel a bully? Nick Ferrari asks a former Home Office worker
"I'm afraid a lot of life replicates what you see in The Thick of It, with aggressive, shouty, sweary people in positions of power and influence.
"I think that's got to change and unless we change that culture don't be surprised if 'normal people' don't want to get involved in politics."
