World News – UK – Alex Allan: The veteran windsurfing mandarin who stopped over the Patel range

It was perhaps only two sentences long and dressed in formal language, but Sir Alex Allan’s resignation made his feelings clear.

« I acknowledge that it is up to the Prime Minister to assess whether a minister’s actions are in violation of the Ministerial Code, » said the veteran official who assists in overseeing MI5, MI6 and GCHQ in his former was the chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee – adding, “However, I feel it is right that I should now step down from my position as the Prime Minister’s independent advisor on the Code. ”

His resignation on Friday came following his findings, which were based on a cabinet investigation that concluded that Interior Minister Priti Patel’s approach « constituted what can be described as bullying » – with cases of Screaming and cursing were detected – and decide that this is why she has violated the Ministerial Code, albeit unintentionally.

Boris Johnson made a different decision. As the sole arbiter of the rules, Prime Minister Patel stood by and concluded that she had not broken the Ministerial Code.

Allan may be gone, but who exactly is he? The 69-year-old has had a long career in the civil service, according to a government profile listing his previous roles, including: Principal Private Secretary to the Chancellor and Prime Minister; High Commissioner to Australia; the government’s “e-envoy”; permanent secretary in the Ministry of Justice; and Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee.

When he was named chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee in 2007, a security bug on his personal website revealed a number of details about his personal life. Among the more colorful entries, the website revealed that he was an avid fan of American rock band The Grateful Dead and that he once went windsurfing to work in Westminster in a bowler hat and suit during a train strike. However, it turned out that the website also revealed details of his address as well as his phone numbers.

Regardless, Allan fell into a coma the following year after he was reportedly found covered in blood by an artist who worked at his home. He regained consciousness after 10 days, with government sources indicating that there was no sign of bad play at that point.

Alex Allan, Priti Patel, Resignation, Ministerial Code, UK Home Secretary, Home Office