15 November 2017
UK minister Piti Pratel took the bullet for her boss
By: Karsten Riise
With much media attention, UK “development” minister Ms. Piti Pratel had to resign from the UK government, after her unofficial meetings with the Israeli Prime Minister and other high-ranking Israelis, during her “vacation” in Israel.
The only logical explanation
The word “development minister” had to be put into quotation marks in the case of former UK minister Piti Pratel.
Because Piti Pratel, sometimes acting abroad in tandem with Exchequer Philip Hammond, was one of the UK’s two ablest builders of UK trade relations.
In their ability and energy to “open doors” for UK trade, the couple Piti and Philip by far surpassed the UK official trade minister. In doing so, Piti and Philip have generally operated a bit “below the radar” of media. Their (official) travels were of course routinely reported in media, but trade often being the real purpose of their travels, was under-reported.
Brexit is at risk of developing into a catastrophe for the UK.
In trade, the UK will have to “do with whomever” in “whatever way” – including with Israel. And on Israel’s terms. In trade, the UK may need Israel more than the other way around. This must be the judgment of the UK government.
It is simply not believable, that Piti Pratel should have made her “holiday-mission” to Israel so extremely trade-intensive and at such high diplomatic levels, without full knowledge, approval and direct support from her Prime Minister.
Israel and her activities are, as everybody knows, a very divisive issue in much of the world, including the UK.
The task of Piti Pratel to advance UK trade interests in Israel in this rather unorthodox way was, of course, to keep everything unknown and officially “deniable”.
With 99.9% probability, everything which Piti Pratel did on her “holiday-trade-mission” to Israel has been fully organized and approved by Prime Minister May as well as all the inner circle of the UK government.
In withdrawing herself after this story came up, Piti Pratel simply “took the media-bullet” for her boss, Prime Minister Theresa May.
Karsten Riise
Partner & Editor
CHANGE NEWS &
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
