PRITI Patel has been accused of breaching the the ministerial code by allegedly a fellow minister over a £20 million deal.

Labour is calling for an investigation into the Witham MP after Ms Patel wrote to Michael Gove in alleged efforts to sway the award of a contract.

In May last year, Ms Patel attempted to secure a personal protective equipment deal for healthcare firm Pharmaceuticals Direct Ltd (PDL).

Her efforts failed after Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the masks were “not suitable for the NHS”, according to disclosure in a legal case.

But PDL was awarded a £102.7 million contract weeks later in July to provide a different type of mask.

On both occasions, Samir Jassal was Ms Patel's contact.

Mr Jassal has stood as a Conservative candidate at two general elections and has met Boris Johnson and David Cameron.

A spokesman for Ms Patel: “The Home Secretary rightly followed up representations made to her about the vital supply of PPE.

“During a time of national crisis, failure to do so would have been a dereliction of duty.”

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However, Labour urged Cabinet Secretary Simon Case to investigate Ms Patel in a letter signed by deputy leader Angela Rayner and shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds.

They said there is “no evidence that the Home Secretary had any interest” in the PPE deal until contacted by Mr Jassal, suggesting she did it “as a favour to her friend”.

“This would represent a glaring and flagrant breach of the ministerial code,” they said.

Labour pointed to the principle that “ministers must ensure that no conflict arises, or could reasonably be perceived to arise, between their public duties and their private interests, financial or otherwise”.

The letters, which were first reported by the Daily Mail and said to be worth £20 million, have come to light as part of a legal challenge by the Good Law Project.

In the letter, Ms Patel expressed disappointment that the Government no longer required supplies of KN95 masks from PDL, saying “they have committed stock and secured supply, exposing them to considerable financial risk and pressures”.

Ten days later, Mr Hancock wrote to Ms Patel saying that “KN95 face masks are Chinese standards” and that UK officials have concluded that they are “not suitable for use in the NHS”.

Jassal and PDL have been contacted for comment.