Bullying probe
I’ve always been professional, says defiant Deputy
DOMINIC Raab came out fighting yesterday as an official investigation was launched into two formal complaints about his conduct.
The Deputy Prime Minister insisted he had always ‘behaved professionally’ and looked forward to dealing with the allegations against him, which will be probed by someone independent of Whitehall but appointed by No 10.
He also promised to ‘rebut and refute’ claims made by Labour about his behaviour towards junior staff, saying suggestions he angrily threw tomatoes during a meeting ‘never happened’.
Meanwhile his supporters told the Commons that opposition MPs had also been guilty of bullying.
However, the inquiry is still a fresh blow to Rishi Sunak’s promise to restore integrity to Government.
It comes after Sir Gavin Williamson was forced to resign last week over accusations he had told an official to ‘slit your throat’. The Prime Minister had defended Mr Raab amid swirling bullying allegations at the start of the week.
But early yesterday he was notified that two formal complaints have now been lodged, one relating to Mr Raab’s time as foreign secretary between 2019 and 2021 and the other about his stint as justice secretary over the past year.
Standing in for Mr Sunak at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, Mr Raab was asked if he agreed that no minister should retain their post if they are found guilty of bullying and replied: ‘I take it as an article of personal faith that we behave with absolute integrity and accountability.’
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said to him that he ‘finally acknowledged formal complaints about his misconduct but his letter contains no hint of admission or
apology. This is Anti- Bullying Week. Will he apologise?’
Mr Raab insisted: ‘I am confident that I behaved professionally throughout, but of course I will engage thoroughly and I look forward to transparently addressing any claims that have been made.’
She went on to say his behaviour had been described as ‘abrasive’, ‘controlling’ and ‘demeaning’, ‘with junior staff too scared to even enter his office’, adding: ‘That is without mentioning the flying tomatoes.’
Mr Raab stressed: ‘That never happened. I will thoroughly rebut and refute any of the claims that have been made.’
Later in the session former minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said: ‘The people who are currently criticising him have a record of bullying that is second to none.’
Afterwards Downing Street said Mr Sunak will appoint someone outside of Government to investigate the allegations against Mr Raab, as there is no current ministerial ethics watchdog.
They will report to the PM and he will be the ‘ultimate arbiter’ of whether the ministerial code has been breached. A spokesman insisted Mr Sunak still has full confidence in Mr Raab.
It is understood Mr Raab has not yet been made aware of the specific allegations made against him.