Dominic Raab has announced his resignation, following the receipt of the report into allegations that he bullied members of staff.
The allegations stem from Raab’s time as a cabinet minister in a variety of government departments, as staff claimed that he had established a culture of fear. Raab denied the claims and requested that an investigation be undertaken.
In his letter of resignation, addressed to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Raab said:
“I am writing to resign from your government, following receipt of the report arising from the inquiry conducted by Adam Tolley KC. I called for the inquiry and undertook to resign, if it made any finding of bullying whatsoever. I believe it is important to keep my word.
“It has been a privilege to serve you as Deputy Prime Minister, Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work as a Minister in a range of roles and departments since 2015, and pay tribute to the many outstanding civil servants with whom I have worked.”
Despite following through with his commitment to resign, the former Deputy Prime Minister went on to defend himself, saying:
“Whilst I feel duty bound to accept the outcome of the inquiry, it dismissed all but two of the claims levelled against me. I also believe that its two adverse findings are flawed and set a dangerous precedent for the conduct of good government.”
Raab also went on to state how the report has set a precedent that could be potentially harming to the way that government act. He said:
“In setting the threshold for bullying so low, this inquiry 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.”
The Prime Minister is expected to replace Raab as Justice Secretary today, however it is likely to take longer to replace him as Deputy Prime Minister.
