Warning civil servants will go for another ‘scalp’ after forcing Raab out
CIVIL servants will now feel emboldened to block Government policies after forcing Dominic Raab to resign, the former minister’s colleagues have warned.
And there are fears officials are hoping to claim another “scalp”, as they target ministers who are opposed towhitehall’s work-fromhome culture.
Mr Raab quit as Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary after an inquiry by barrister Adam Tolley found he was guilty of “an abuse or misuse of power in a way that undermines or humiliates”.
Mrtolley’s report also exposed the level of co-ordination among civil servants seeking to bring Mr Raab down, revealing a “group complaint” about his behaviour in the Ministry of Justice “was the product of discussions within an informal network of civil servants whose number is uncertain”.
Last night, a former Cabinet minister said there was “no doubt” the debacle would have a “chilling effect” on how ministers interact with civil servants.
“If every time you behave in a way that gives the impression that you are less than happy you are going to be subject to a complaint of bullying then it’s going to be very difficult for ministerial life to continue,” they said.
A serving Government minister warned: “There is a difficulty which is obvious to any minister, that effectively you can only get stuff done with the consent of the Civil Service, unless you have great art of persuasion.”
Another minister reportedly suggested civil servants were fighting a battle against politicians attempting to force them back to the office.
They said: “We’re all looking over our shoulders.the Civil Service unions smell blood.
“Dom is a tough taskmaster in a woke world of working-fromhome snowflakes who now dictate the terms to elected politicians.”
Another Cabinet minister said: “Raab had to go in Rishi’s eyes because he thought the Civil Service would grind to a halt.”
Referring to the civil servant character in 1980s BBCTV comedyyes Minister, they warned: “I’m afraid Sir Humphrey really does now run the country.”
Mr Raab has criticised
“activist civil servants” who he said were able to “block reforms or changes through a rather passive-aggressive approach” when dealing with ministers.
But the comments were rejected by a former senior civil servant who worked with the ex-minister.
Lord Mcdonald, who was permanent under-secretary of the Foreign Office for five years, told Radio 4: “There is no Civil Service activism, there is no Civil Service passive aggression, there is no separate Civil Service agenda.”