People with concerns over Raab should come forward, says Rishi Sunak

Former civil service chief says colleagues were ‘scared’ to go into minister’s office

(EPA)

Anyone with concerns about bullying by deputy prime minister Dominic Raab should come forward and report them, Rishi Sunak has said.

The prime minister’s call came after a former head of the civil service at the Foreign Office said junior colleagues were “scared” to go into Raab’s office because of his demeaning and abrasive behaviour.

Lord McDonald said he raised his concerns to Cabinet Office investigators at the time, and urged Mr Sunak to “have another look” at bullying complaints procedures.

The PM has repeatedly said that he does not recognise descriptions of Mr Raab as a bully.

But asked about the allegations during a round of TV interviews at the G20 summit in Indonesia today, he suggested that anyone with concerns should come forward.

“I’ve been very clear that I don’t recognise the characterisation of Dominic’s behaviour,” Mr Sunak told the BBC. “And I’m not aware of any formal complaints.

“There’s a formal complaints process and that’s the important thing - that people should avail themselves of if they have concerns.”

He told ITV: “Of course, there are established processes in place for people to raise concerns.

“In all workplaces - private, public - if people have concerns they should raise them because unless people raise them it’s hard for people to actually then look into them and make any changes that are necessary.

“So I would urge people to do that. Those processes are confidential and it’s right that they are used.”

Lord McDonald, who was the Foreign Office’s permanent secretary when Mr Raab led the department, said the minister “couldn’t be made to see” the impact he was having on staff.

“Colleagues did not complain to me formally, it was kind of their professional pride to cope, but many were scared to go into his office,” the crossbench peer told Times Radio.

“His sort of defence was that he treated everybody in the building in the same way. He was as abrasive and controlling with junior ministers and senior officials as he was with his private secretaries.”

Questions over Mr Raab’s behaviour towards staff were raised last week after reports that staff at the Ministry of Justice were offered a “route out” of the department if they had concerns about his return for a second stint.

It followed the resignation of cabinet minister Sir Gavin Williamson amid claims he had bullied MPs as chief whip.

Dave Penman, head of the FDA union representing senior civil servants, called on Mr Sunak to reform the complaints system to help address a “toxic work culture” in Whitehall.

In a letter, Mr Penman urged the prime minister to appoint a new independent adviser on ministers’ interests. The post has been vacant since Lord Geidt quit in June.

“As we have seen over the last few weeks, there is increasing scrutiny over the conduct of ministers and, in particular, accusations of bullying – behaviour that has no place in a modern workplace,” it said.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner demanded an independent investigation into Mr Raab.

“Rishi Sunak clearly knew about Dominic Raab’s reputation when he reappointed him to his cabinet,” she said.