Rishi Sunak to receive outcome of Raab bullying probe within days
April 19, 2023Reshuffle looms over Dominic Raab report: Conclusion of probe into conduct of Deputy PM will be handed to Rishi Sunak within days
- Deputy PM and Justice Sec Raab faces several historic complains of bullying
- He said he will quit if an investigation upholds the allegations against him
Rishi Sunak is braced for a snap Cabinet reshuffle this week if Dominic Raab is forced to quit over bullying claims.
Whitehall sources believe the long-awaited report into the conduct of the Deputy Prime Minister will be handed to Mr Sunak within days.
A source said the PM would make a ‘swift’ decision on Mr Raab’s future once it has been received, adding: ‘He is not going to sit on it.’
Mr Raab is facing a string of historic complaints from officials, who claim they felt bullied by his overbearing manner.
The Deputy Prime Minister (pictured) said he will resign if the allegations are upheld
He strongly disputes the claims, saying he has ‘behaved professionally throughout’ his career in Government.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson ‘privately warned Dominic Raab about his conduct’ amid ongoing probe into alleged bullying of staff
However, he has pledged to quit if an investigation by senior lawyer Adam Tolley KC upholds the claims against him.
Mr Tolley is expected to present Mr Sunak with a ‘narrative report’, which will set out the claims against Mr Raab and the evidence that supports or refutes them.
He is not expected to make a formal recommendation to the PM on whether his deputy should be sacked, leaving Mr Sunak to resolve the issue himself.
Mr Raab’s departure would be a significant blow to Mr Sunak, who has already lost fellow Cabinet ministers Sir Gavin Williamson and Nadhim Zahawi to scandals during his brief premiership.
It would also force him to conduct a snap reshuffle to replace Mr Raab as Justice Secretary. It is thought he would not appoint a new Deputy Prime Minister at this stage.
The Deputy Prime Minister is facing eight formal complaints about his conduct at different departments, with dozens of officials said to have given evidence against him.
Some officials claim to have been left in tears by his allegedly overbearing and demanding manner.
Friends of Mr Raab acknowledge he can be a ‘tough’ boss but insist he has never crossed the line into bullying.
They warn he is the target of a ‘politically-motivated’ bid by disgruntled civil servants, and some former staff have given evidence to the inquiry in his favour.
Dominic Raab (left) and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during Prime Minister’s Questions in February. Sunak expects to receive the outcome of the probe within days, sources say
Mr Raab has denied he is a bully, but insists ministers have to have the right to ‘directly challenge’ officials over their work.
Fellow ministers are nervous about the precedent that would be set if Mr Raab is forced to go.
One said: ‘There has been months of reporting on this based on anonymous sources and not a single concrete example of something he is supposed to have said or done that crosses the line.
‘If he has to go because some of his officials didn’t like him then quite a few people are going to be in trouble.’
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