Priti Patel
Conservative · Witham
FULL PROFILEPriti Patel is the Conservative MP for Witham, first elected in 2010. She is 53 years old. As an opposition MP, they are expected to vote against the government on most whipped divisions.
Ideology
Voting Behaviour
Key Interests
Immigration and border control · National security and counter-terrorism · Law and order · Foreign policy and international relations · Brexit and sovereignty
Positions
Immigration — Strongly supports stricter immigration controls and tougher asylum system
strong
Brexit/EU Relations — Hard Brexit supporter, opposes Windsor Framework arrangements
strong
National Security — Advocates for robust counter-terrorism measures and strong defence policy
strong
Taxation — Opposes higher taxes on wealthy and businesses
moderate
Law and Order — Supports tougher criminal justice policies
moderate
Foreign Policy — Hawkish approach, particularly regarding Iran and Middle East
moderate
Government Transparency — Opposes increased openness and transparency measures
weak
COVID-19 Response — Limited engagement with pandemic restrictions
weak
Notable Rebellions
2023-03-22 — Rebelled against government's Brexit arrangements, opposing the Windsor Framework as insufficient protection of UK sovereignty
2023-03-22 — Opposed what she likely viewed as overly lenient criminal justice measures
2023-12-04 — Opposed environmental regulations that may have been seen as burdensome to business or sovereignty
Reasoning Style
Highly ideological and conviction-driven, with arguments typically framed around national security, sovereignty, and traditional conservative values. Uses emotive language about threats to Britain and tends to present issues in stark, binary terms.
Background
Former management consultant and corporate communications director before entering Parliament, bringing private sector experience to her political career.