Priti Patel says prospect of Corbyn and Abbott in charge of national security makes her feel sick
JEREMY Corbyn would pose a “chilling” risk to national security if he wins the keys to No10, the Home Secretary has warned.
Priti Patel is worried that his previous links with terrorist groups could hamper his ability to make life-or-death decisions to keep Britain safe.
And she is horrified at the prospect of handing over her own responsibilities to Mr Corbyn’s close pal Diane Abbott.
Ms Patel told The Sun on Sunday: “Just the thought of those two in charge of our national security makes me feel ill.
"They have sided with and defended some of the most appalling individuals and terrorist groups.
“In any other circumstances, I am not sure Jeremy Corbyn or Diane Abbott would even get security clearance. Their backgrounds alone would be enough to set alarm bells ringing.”
In an exclusive interview with The Sun on Sunday, Ms Patel tore into the Labour leader for spending much of his political career cosying up to Britain’s enemies.
He has been widely blasted for meeting convicted members of the IRA and Islamic extremists, including Hezbollah and Hamas.
'IT'S DANGEROUS'
Earlier this year, photographs emerged of Mr Corbyn with a wreath at the foot of a grave of a Palestinian leader linked to the Munich Olympics massacre.
The Home Secretary fears his past associations could cloud his judgment and put a barrier of mistrust between him and the security services.
And only last week he said the world’s most wanted terrorist, IS boss Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, should have been arrested and put on trial — even though the jihadist blew himself up with a suicide vest before US soldiers could get to him.
She said: “This is a man who for decades has sided with our foes and spurned our allies.
“You only have to look at the kind of organisations he subscribes to, the company he keeps and the things he says.
“Corbyn’s comments on the death of al-Baghdadi a few days ago speak volumes.
“To suggest that people wearing suicide vests should be arrested is not only ridiculous, it’s dangerous.
“I wouldn’t dream of putting the lives of our police, security or intelligence services at risk in that way.
“It’s the first job of any government to keep its people safe.
“But Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott are people who don’t stand up for law enforcement.
They don’t support the incredible men and women in our police forces.
“They work against our intelligence agencies and our security forces and they don’t believe in the defence of our country.
“They have a proven track record of campaigning with the wrong organisations.
“They don’t believe in national security. Jeremy Corbyn wants to disband our Army and doesn’t believe in the safeguards of our Trident nuclear deterrent.
“These people would not keep us safe at all. I shudder to think of the risks we’d leave ourselves open to if they ever won power.”
Tech to target lorries
HI-tech security scanners will be installed in British ports to spot migrants hiding in freight trucks.
Home Secretary Priti Patel ordered a wave of research and investment after 39 people were found dead in a container in Essex last month.
She is investigating buying cameras to detect people and firearms in vehicles moving above 70mph.
People smugglers often hide stowaways in refrigerated trucks to outsmart heat-seeking gear used to catch illegal immigrants.
Ms Patel said: “People traffickers are the worst of humanity.”
In the three months since she become Home Secretary, Ms Patel has had to make instant judgment calls on secret operations at all times of day and night.
She is sometimes awakened in the small hours to approve certain action and admits they are calls which are “sobering” and sometimes “fill you with dread”.
Ms Patel added: “Would you trust them to exercise the right kind of judgment when it comes to striking out the forces of harm and evil, terrorists, in particular?
“I’m conscious of that every minute of the day and I don’t see how the public could even contemplate someone like Diane Abbott or Jeremy Corbyn dealing with the demands of high office.
“I see a lot of classified material and have to digest it quickly, without discussing it with anybody else, and then make a crucial judgment call.
“I seriously wonder if there would be some doubt in the minds of the security services as to whether they would want to share highly sensitive and classified information with them.
“To be honest, I’m simply appalled at the thought of the security of our country being put into the hands of Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott — and I’m sure many Sun on Sunday readers will feel the same.”
Tories in jail blitz on knife carriers
THUGS who go out armed with knives will face mandatory jail sentences in a fresh blitz on violent crime. Home Secretary Priti Patel will also introduce tougher curbs on sale of offensive weapons online.
She vowed to crank up her law-and-order crusade, building on the decision to recruit 20,000 more cops, increase stop-and-search powers, and arm officers with Tasers.
Ms Patel said: “We are committed to tougher sentences and it will be one of the first things we will do to strengthen law and order if we get a Conservative majority on December 12.
“We’ll be taking action on violent crime, serious assaults and any criminal activity against children.
“Knife crime is a top priority. If you are caught with one of these you should absolutely be going down.
“There should be no second, third, fourth chance. People who carry these weapons are often part of county lines drugs gangs and are facilitating criminality on our streets.”
£100m for victims of Windrush
THOUSANDS of victims of the Windrush scandal will get cash payouts after the election, Ms Patel promised.
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She blamed the delay on the “zombie” Parliament arguing over Brexit. But she insisted a £100million compensation scheme was “good to go”.
Up to 15,000 migrants who arrived here between 1948 and 1973 may have a right to compo for being wrongly deported, forced out of a job or losing access to benefits.
But Ms Patel said a “dysfunctional” Parliament stopped legislation. She vowed it will be a priority if the Tories win.