Dominic Raab: Union leader calls for suspension over bullying claims

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab should be suspended while he is investigated over bullying allegations, a civil service union leader has said.

FDA general secretary Dave Penman told the BBC: “If that was any other employee… they would in all likelihood be suspended from their job.”

He said suspension – also backed by Labour and the Liberal Democrats – would help protect current employees.

Mr Raab, who is also justice secretary, has denied bullying civil servants.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he will wait for the outcome of the inquiry, being carried out by senior lawyer Adam Tolley KC, before taking any action.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan rejected calls for Mr Raab to step aside now, saying a “fair process” should be followed.

She told Sky News: “When you get the facts you discuss and take the action. I think it is only fair when somebody accuses somebody of something you go through that… I think that is the right thing to do.

“Then the prime minister and Dominic will obviously discuss that and make the right decision based on that.”

Mr Penman told Radio 4’s Today programme the investigation involved “dozens” of civil servants and eight complaints covering three government departments.

The complaints relate to Mr Raab’s previous periods as justice secretary and foreign secretary under Boris Johnson, and his time as Brexit secretary under Theresa May.

Mr Penman also criticised former cabinet minister Jacob Rees Mogg for saying people should not be “snowflakey” about bullying claims.

The comments were “outrageous” and “belittled” the process, said the FDA leader. He accused Mr Rees-Mogg of “trivialising bullying that we know has ruined lives and careers”.

The Liberal Democrats have called on Mr Sunak to publish the advice given to him by the Cabinet Office about the allegations, and to give evidence to the inquiry.

Deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “It’s time for the prime minister to come out of hiding and face the music. The public deserves to know the truth about what he knew and when.”

At least three senior civil servants who worked with Dominic Raab have given evidence to the inquiry into his behaviour as witnesses.

The BBC has been told one is Philip Rycroft, who ran the Department for Exiting the European Union when Mr Raab was Brexit secretary.

Another, the BBC understands, is the current permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice, Antonia Romeo.

A third permanent secretary from a department in which Mr Raab served has also told the BBC they have been interviewed as a witness.

Permanent secretaries are the UK’s most senior civil servants and run government departments.

It is understood Mr Raab has had an initial meeting with Mr Tolley, but has not yet sat down with him for a substantial conversation about the allegations against him.

Last week, the deputy prime minister told the BBC: “I’m confident I behaved professionally throughout, and of course the government takes a zero-tolerance approach to bullying.”

Mr Raab added that he was “always mindful of the way I behave”, but made “no apologies for having high standards”.

Mr Tolley’s report is not expected to be completed for several weeks.

Privately, many Conservative MPs, including ministers, have told the BBC they fear the allegations could yet cost Mr Raab his job.

One minister told the BBC “he should have gone ages ago”, describing the situation as a “ticking timebomb” and adding that Mr Raab was “totally unsuitable for high office”.

Someone else who worked with Mr Raab said his behaviour was “arbitrary, pernickety”, and he was “very hard on junior staff” and “extremely difficult to work with”.

But one former senior civil servant who worked with Mr Raab said: “He was very professional to me.”

He described Mr Raab as “incredibly hard working” and “very demanding”.

“Being on the end of his expectations wouldn’t be nice if you’re not prepared for it. It’s tough. There’s perfectionism there,” he added.

“He had a view how he wanted things done. He expected delivery but doesn’t understand how to get it done.”

Former Conservative cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said it was “completely sensible” for Mr Raab to remain in post while the investigation was continuing.

Asked about the bullying claims, Mr Rees-Mogg told Sky News: “I think we’ve got to be slightly careful about the bullying allegations.

“We mustn’t be too snowflakey about it. People need to be able to say this job has not been done well enough and needs to be done better.”

Mr Raab was justice secretary and deputy prime minister when Boris Johnson was succeeded by Liz Truss.

She sacked him, but he was reappointed to those roles when Mr Sunak entered Downing Street in October.

Mr Raab previously served in the cabinet as foreign secretary from 2020-21 and Brexit secretary in 2018.