SHADOW home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds has called for urgent action amid allegations Boris Johnson "covered up" reports of ministerial bullying.

There are reports home secretary Priti Patel will receive a formal written warning from the Prime Minister, regarding her conduct, after she was reportedly found to have breached the Ministerial Code by allegedly bullying Home Office staff.

Torfaen MP Mr Thomas-Symonds said suggestions that Mr Johnson would not sack Ms Patel showed “all the hallmarks of a cover-up from the prime minister".

He said an eight-month delay in responding to the bullying claims was "unacceptable" – an investigation into those claims was first announced in March.

"Worse still, reports suggest that part of the reason for these delays have been the result of political efforts to alter the findings of the report, which would undermine the actions of the cabinet secretary and be seriously damaging to public trust," he added.

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Mr Thomas-Symonds has called on the UK government to publish the full investigative report into the allegations against the home secretary.

He has also written to the Committee on Standards in Public Life, asking them to investigate the UK government's conduct "as a matter of urgency".

“I think we need to see the full report – it needs to be published in full, line by line – and the home secretary and the prime minister need to come to parliament to answer questions because the revelation in recent days have been extraordinarily serious," Mr Thomas-Symonds told BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning (Friday).

“I’m afraid this really does have all the hallmarks of a prime ministerial cover-up and raises questions about his judgment.

“If what has been reported is correct, then it is tantamount to the prime minister condoning bullying.”

Meanwhile, the UK government's health secretary, Matt Hancock, was among Conservative MPs rushing to defend the home secretary today.

He told BBC Breakfast he felt “very proud” to serve in a cabinet with Ms Patel.

“I think she’s doing an excellent job and is an excellent home secretary, and really delivering on things that matter to people,” he said.

“In all the dealings I’ve ever had with her she’s been nothing but courteous.”

Additional reporting by PA.