Home Secretary Priti Patel’s chief of staff is ‘escorted’ from bar at the House of Commons

A special advisor to the Home Office was last night escorted from a House of Commons bar after police were called.

James Starkie, who is Home Secretary Priti Patel’s chief of staff, had been in Strangers’ Bar in Parliament on Tuesday afternoon while MPs were debating an election.

Just before 7pm he was asked to leave by officers who had been called to the bar.

Mr Starkie has worked at the Home Office for three months and the department is responsible for law and order across the UK.

Tonight witnesses said an MP had accused Mr Starkie of using abusive language to other customers.

Speaking to The Mirror they claimed he had also been rude to members of staff behind the bar. When leaving the bar it was alleged that he punched the door.

The Home Office said they were not commenting on the incident, while Number 10 were unable to be reached this evening.

Strangers’ Bar (pictured above) serves cut price drinks to MPs and overlooks the River Thames

Mr Starkie has worked at the Home Office as a special advisor to Priti Patel (above)

In a statement a spokesperson for the House of Commons said: ‘A House of Commons spokesperson said: ‘We can confirm there was an incident with an individual in Strangers bar. The individual was asked to leave, and was escorted from the Estate by Parliamentary Security’

Just this month Mr Starkie’s boss, Ms Patel had declared the Conservatives a party of ‘law and order’.

Mr Starkie had previously worked on the ‘Vote Leave’ campaign, and was also a communications advisor to Dominic Raab during his bid for leadership earlier this year.

He also previously served as a special advisor to the department of environment, food and rural affairs.

Strangers’ bar is located one floor down from the Commons chamber and is open any time the House is sitting.

It looks out at the river Thames and also offers cut-price drinks.