It is ‘perfectly legitimate’ for Priti Patel to attend James Bond film premiere, says Raab

It is “perfectly legitimate” for Priti Patel to attend a James Bond premiere in her role as Home Secretary, pointing to both “fictional” and “factual” links between the security services and the Home Office, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said this morning.

It comes after Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis suggested Ms Patel accepted an invite to a Bond premiere in her capacity as Home Secretary because it had links to her department.

Asked if it was part of the Home Secretary’s role to attend the Bond screening, Raab told LBC: “I think it’s perfectly legitimate – I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”

He added: “I don’t know the circumstances around it, but given how hard the Home Secretary works, frankly I don’t begrudge her going to see a movie one night – and particularly given, of course, the links with the Home Office in both the fictional but also the factual service that is MI5.”

James Bond works for MI6 in the movie franchise.