Priti Patel is under renewed pressure from Labour to quit as Home Secretary over allegations that she bullied officials in her department.

Diane Abbott insisted Ms Patel should stand down while complaints against her are looked into.

The shadow home secretary was speaking after Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked the Cabinet Office to "establish the facts" following allegations that Ms Patel had breached the ministerial code in relation to her dealings with officials.

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove has told the Commons an inquiry into Ms Patel was being launched after Sir Philip Rutnam quit as permanent secretary at the Home Office after rows with Ms Patel, with allegations of bullying levelled against her.

In a dramatic resignation on TV, Sir Philip accused Ms Patel of orchestrating a "vicious" campaign against him, of lying about her involvement in it and of creating a climate of fear in her department.

It comes amid growing concerns within Whitehall about the treatment of civil servants.

01:00 ► Stewart Jackson former MP - 'Rutnam is not used to people standing up to them and doing radical things'
14:54 ► Daniel in Epsom - 'Brexit shone a light on the judiciary and civil service'
18:00 ► Vernon in Worcester - 'Home Office have been doing things their own way for too long'
21:58 ► Alan in Derbyshire - 'We ought to be bringing the fight to the civil service and taking Philip Rutnam's knighthood from him'
23:25 ► Mike Graham monologue - 'The civil service tree has been shook and their cage has been rattled'
24:30 ► James in Telford - 'Priti Patel has my full support'
25:17 ► Barry in Paisley - 'Were civil servants hiding the grooming gang report?'

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