Video
Piers Morgan calls on Priti Patel to resign over missing crime records fiasco
Piers Morgan (L), Susanna Reid (M) and Priti Patel on Good Morning Britain - Credit: Twitter
Piers Morgan has urged Priti Patel to resign after 400,000 criminal records disappeared from the national crime database.
The home secretary has come under mounting pressure to take responsibility for an error that led to hundreds of thousands of police records being deleted from UK-wide databases.
Data was wiped from the Police National Computer (PNC) - which stores and shares criminal records information across the UK - after being inadvertently flagged for deletion.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Patel was asked if she would resign over the blunder.
"We are working night and day to bring these records back," Patel said prompting co-host Piers Morgan to press: "I know but having just told us that they exist elsewhere, if you don't find them, will you resign?"
Patel reflected the question when Morgan asked once again, choosing instead to respond: "It's my imperative. As home secretary, I need to keep the public safe and to find this data."
Earlier, Morgan probed the minister over claims she knew where the records were located.
Most Read
- 1 French diplomat brands Boris Johnson 'a liar' who will blame Brexit costs on Covid
- 2 Matt Hancock says he broke the law in the 'national interest' and would do it again
- 3 Campaign urges Brits to declare themselves 'European' on 2021 census
- 4 Tory MP 'dressed too casually' to make virtual contribution to parliament
- 5 Scottish Tories admit second referendum could follow May elections
- 6 SAGE scientists fear 'fresh wave' of coronavirus cases by July
- 7 World's largest daffodil farm forced to let flowers rot in fields due to Brexit staffing issues
- 8 The end of Britain is nigh: Here's how, when and why...
- 9 Minister moves photograph from wall following Covid contract controversy
- 10 German newspaper claims it 'envies' Britain following Boris Johnson's lockdown road map
"You're saying as a fact that these 400,000 crime records - which we've all assumed have disappeared - you know with 100% certainty that they exist elsewhere and so there is nothing to worry about?" Morgan asked.
"We have not said that they have completely disappeared," Patel replied, adding: "This is down to software; they could still be in the police national computer."
Taking to Twitter, Paul F wrote: "You know you’re well beaten when even the normally mute Susanna is able to have a dig at you."
@alemariscalco added: "It does not occur to anybody in this awful, incompetent government even to consider the idea to resign or ask for resignation."
Become a Supporter
The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.
