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Priti Patel launched her Conservative leadership bid today, promising to return the Conservatives to power through “professionalism” and “experience”. However, the former home secretary conceded an interesting shift in her political beliefs.
When asked whether she still supported the death penalty, Patel told the assembled audience — who had been treated to mango lassi beforehand — “The answer is no and you know exactly where I stand on law and order.”
Slick Tory leadership launch for Dame Priti Patel, with autocue too. pic.twitter.com/mbx5aBs79y
— Christopher Hope (@christopherhope) August 30, 2024
In 2011, Patel told a BBC Question Time audience that she “would actually support the reintroduction of capital punishment to serve as a deterrent”. In 2019, she attempted to distance herself from the comments, saying: “I have never said I’m an active supporter of it and [what I said] is constantly taken out of context.” At least Lee Anderson is still holding the fort…
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