Dominic Raab, the deputy prime minister and justice secretary of the United Kingdom, has resigned from his position after allegations of bullying behavior were raised against him. Reports claim that Raab “demeaned” civil servants and was “very rude and aggressive” towards them. The Conservative Party MP faced complaints for the way he dealt with civil servants and a report from The Guardian said that he “bullied and belittled staff”.
Raab wrote in his resignation that he is stepping down following the receipt of the report arising from the inquiry conducted by Adam Tolley KC. He called for the inquiry and undertook to resign if it made any finding of bullying whatsoever. Raab declined the results of the investigation by Adam Tolley KC, a leading employment barrister, saying that its two adverse findings are flawed and set a dangerous precedent for the conduct of good government.
This could be a major blow for Rishi Sunak ahead of the general elections because he will face scrutiny from his detractors as well as the opposition regarding his commitment to move past the culture established during the Boris Johnson-era. Sunak may also face criticism for letting Raab stay in post during an active investigation.
The UK Prime Minister is yet to comment on this development.
