Leading UK minister Dominic Raab quits after bullying accusations

World
By William

Several of Raab’s subordinates at Westminster had complained about his professional conduct.

British Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Dominic Raab resigned on Friday after a months-long independent inquiry into formal complaints about his conduct.

In a letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak posted on Twitter, Raab said the investigation had set a dangerous precedent but that he would continue to support the government.

“I called for the investigation and promised to resign if any form of bullying was found. I believe it is important to keep my word,” Raab said.

He complained about employees leaking details of his behavior to the media, adding: “By setting the threshold for bullying so low, this investigation has set a dangerous precedent. It will encourage spurious complaints against ministers and have a chilling effect on those driving change on behalf of your government – ​​and ultimately the British people.”

He said he felt “obliged to accept the outcome of the inquiry” but said it had “dismissed all but two claims against me”.

Raab referred to the two incidents where he was found to have been bullied – one at the Foreign Office where he handled a senior diplomat’s handling of the Brexit negotiations over Gibraltar, and one where he gave critical feedback during an earlier stint at the Ministry of Justice from 2021 to 2022.

Raab’s resignation makes him the third senior minister to leave because of their personal behavior since Sunak entered Downing Street in October promising a government with integrity.

Another Sunak senior minister, Gavin Williamson, was forced to resign in November over bullying allegations, and the prime minister sacked Conservative Party chairman Nadhim Zahawi in January after he was found to have broken ministerial code over his openness about his tax affairs.

Meanwhile, Sunak faces his own investigation by parliament’s standards watchdog into his conduct over whether he correctly declared his wife’s interest in a childcare business that will benefit from new government policies.

Sunak ally

Raab’s announcement on Friday came the day after Sunak received findings in eight formal complaints that he had insulted staff during a previous stint in that office and while serving as foreign minister and Brexit secretary.

The investigation heard testimony from multiple government officials about complaints of bullying in three different departments.

Raab, 49, denied claims he had belittled and humiliated his staff, saying he “behaved professionally at all times”, but had said he would resign if the harassment charges were upheld.

Sunak received the report Thursday morning and carefully considered the findings but did not immediately make a decision, spokesman Max Blain said.

Raab started his career as a lawyer and switched to politics in 2000 when he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He took a leadership role during the coronavirus pandemic, taking over the helm of government while then Prime Minister Boris Johnson was hospitalized with the virus.

Al Jazeera’s Sonia Gallego, reporting from London, said it is “no secret” that a culture of animosity is brewing between the civil service and the government.

“But the allegations against Raab were indeed serious, from bullying, harassment, some employees said they were afraid to go to the office, felt ill and unable to do their job,” she said.

“This caused a lot of concern about how workable this situation would have been. Had Raab not resigned, officials said they would have resigned instead.”

The crisis is something of a double-edged sword for Sunak, whom Raab rooted for during his campaign to lead Britain.

“Raab was a close political ally of Sunak,” Gallego said. “It remains to be seen whether he will remain silent on this issue as he moves from the front benches of the government.”

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