Priti Patel resigns over Israel row; PM May reshuffles team

London: Britain’s seniormost Ind-ian-origin minister Priti Patel has resigned from her Cabinet post over her unauthorised secret meetings with Israeli politicians while on a holiday in the Jewish country.

Penny Mordaunt, a former minister in the work and pensions department and an outspoken supporter of Brexit has replaced Priti Patel as international development secretary Ms Patel’s position as international development minister had become increasingly untenable after it emerged that she had two further meetings with Israeli officials that were not disclosed through the proper procedure.

The 45-year-old minister resigned late Wednesday after a meeting at Downing Street with Prime Minister Theresa May.

In her resignation, Ms Patel apologised and said her actions “fell below the standards of transparency and openness that I have promoted and advocated”.

It follows a week of controversies around a dozen undisclosed meetings she had with Israelis, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.