British deputy prime minister resigns
British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has resigned from the government following an independent investigation into complaints that he bullied colleagues.
The five month investigation into Raab’s behaviour heard evidence from multiple government officials about complaints of bullying at three different departments.
The independent report by lawyer Adam Tolley found that Raab had acted in a way that was “intimidating” and “persistently aggressive” while at the Foreign Office.
It said while at the Justice Ministry he had gone “further than was necessary or appropriate in delivering critical feedback and also insulting, in the sense of making unconstructive critical comments about the quality of work done”.
“(Raab) has been able to regulate this level of ‘abrasiveness’ since the announcement of the investigation,” Tolley wrote. “He should have altered his approach earlier.”
Raab resigned in a letter to the prime minister before the report was made public, and his departure is a setback for Sunak just two weeks ahead of English local council elections where his Conservatives are predicted to fare badly.
“I called for the inquiry and undertook to resign if it made any finding of bullying whatsoever,” Raab’s letter said. “I believe it is important to keep my word.”
Sunak said in a letter in reply that he accepted Raab’s resignation with deep sadness but said it was important that ministers uphold the highest of standards.
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Dangerous precedent
Raab said the report had concluded he had not once sworn, shouted or physically intimidated anyone in four and a half years, and had dismissed all but two of the claims against him.
He apologised for any unintended stress or offence caused but said the decision to set threshold for bullying so low “set a dangerous precedent“ for the conduct of good government.
This will “have a chilling effect on those driving change on behalf of your government – and ultimately the British people”, he said in his letter.
As deputy prime minister, Raab had no formal powers but stepped in for the prime minister if he was away from parliament or incapacitated. However he was a close political ally of Sunak and helped launch his campaign to be prime minister last summer.
The resignation will do little to improve the public perception of Sunak’s government following the scandal-ridden tenure of Boris Johnson and the chaotic economic policies that brought down Liz Truss after less than two months.
The loss of the third senior minister over their personal conduct in the last six months will damage Sunak’s efforts to revive the governing Conservative Party’s fortunes and is a major embarrassment as he had entered Downing Street in October promising a government of integrity.
Zainab Sa’id
