Dominic Raab resigns – latest: Ex-deputy PM attacks ‘activist’ civil servants after bullying report
Raab accuses ‘small minority of very activist civil servants’ of blocking proposed reforms
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Dominic Raab has accused “activist” and “passive aggressive” civil servants of trying to block reforms like Brexit in a new interview.
Mr Raab resigned from cabinet this morning after a report upheld two claims of bullying against him and found he was “unreasonably and persistently aggressive” in a meeting while foreign secretary.
Speaking to the BBC, Mr Raab charged a small group of “very activist” senior civil servants with pushing back against proposed government reforms because they don’t support them.
The former deputy PM complained that the report into his conduct did not make clear that no complaints lodged by junior officials were upheld.
He told the BBC that two instances where he was found at fault came from a “handful of very senior officials”.
Mr Raab said there was risk that a “very small minority of very activist civil servants” not in favour of the reforms were “effectively trying to block government”.
“That’s not on. That’s not democratic,” he added.
Mr Raab’s departure sparked a mini-reshuffle, with Alex Chalk, a former junior minister for the Ministry of Defence, replacing him as justice secretary, and Oliver Dowden as deputy prime minister.
Raab should have been sacked by PM, says Davey
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has dismissed suggestions that criticism could be lodged about the investigation which upheld some bullying allegations against former deputy prime minister Dominic Raab.
Speaking in Mr Raab‘s Esher and Walton constituency, Sir Ed said: “The Conservatives decided on this complaint procedure and it has found he was guilty of bullying and intimidatory behaviour.
“He should have been sacked by the prime minister. I’m afraid this is typical of what has been going on with this Conservative government.
“There has been a number of Conservative ministers who have been found guilty of bullying incidents.
“I think this chaos in the Conservative government is one of the reasons so many people are switching away from the Conservatives and to the Liberal Democrats.”
What are Raab’s constituents saying?
Esher and Walton voter Lynne Murray described Dominic Raab‘s resignation as “disappointing but obviously there are lots of local issues to focus on and to keep him busy up to the next election”.
Ms Murray, 43, who lives in the constituency which counts Mr Raab as its local MP, said: “You are in a very high-pressured and demanding environment.
“I understand that standards and tensions are high and that he is under a lot of pressure as people in public life are to deliver.
“I would be interested to see what the report said. It is disappointing but obviously there are lots of local issues to focus on and to keep him busy up to the next election.”
Raab’s constituent say ‘reeding frenzy’ incited by ex-deputy PM’s resignation
Esher and Walton voter Sue Harding said she believes that a potentially damaging “feeding frenzy” has been created over Dominic Raab‘s resignation.
Ms Harding, 50, who works in marketing and who counts Mr Raab as her local MP, said: “I have always found him to be an intelligent, principled and considered man.
“I think that what is happening today is some political point-scoring for what I consider to be a dysfunctional political system that isn’t fit for purpose in the world that we currently live. I think we need some serious reform.
“I am not party to what went on and most of us aren’t. It is obviously between the people that have brought the situation against him and him (Mr Raab).
“I think that the media is having a feeding frenzy and I don’t think he is any more of a bully than anybody else who is working in the political environment.
“He is a family man with a wife and children and I think the way the media are having a feeding frenzy on this is potentially devastating for him and his family. I would say that is a bullying situation.”
Sean O’Grady: Raab quits – but his petulance and anger say it all
You can well imagine Raab flicking through the Tolley report, vein throbbing in his forehead, pulling that smile-grimace, his tongue flicking at his lips in frustration, writes Sean O’Grady.
He sounds an angry and petulant man, with none of the sort of humility that might one day help rehabilitate him: “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.”
Opinion: Raab quits – but his petulance and anger say it all
In the end, Raab took the slightly more dignified route of quitting rather than being publicly fired, as he once promised he would, but that’s about all he can say about this miserable denouement
Braverman announces new amendments to Illegal Migration Bill
The Home Secretary has announced a number of amendments to the Illegal Migration Bill, which is designed to stop small boats of migrants from crossing the English Channel, as she looks to appease right-leaning Conservative backbenchers.
The Home Office said the amendments laid on Friday would “make clear” the UK’s domestic courts cannot apply any interim measure to stop a migrant arriving via an unauthorised route from being removed if they bring forward a legal challenge, aside from in the narrow route available under the Bill where they are at risk of serious and irreversible harm.
The proposed changes will also allow ministers to “exercise discretion in relation to interim measures issued by the European Court of Human Rights, and set certain principles under which they would make a decision whether to comply or not”, department officials said.
Home secretary Suella Braverman said: “The British public are rightly fed up with people coming to the UK through dangerous small boat crossings, and myself and the Prime Minister are absolutely committed to stopping the boats once and for all.
“The changes I am announcing today will help secure our borders and make it easier for us to remove people by preventing them from making last-minute, bogus claims, while ensuring we strengthen our safe and legal routes.
“My focus remains on ensuring this landmark piece of legislation does what it is intended to do, and we now must work to pass it through Parliament as soon as possible so we can stop the boats.”
Watch: Who replaces Dominic Raab? A look at Sunak’s cabinet after ex-deputy PM resigns
Raab resignation: What does a deputy prime minister do?
It is a loosely defined role but as Margaret Thatcher once said, every prime minister needs a Willie, writes Sean O’Grady
What does a deputy prime minister do?
It is a loosely defined role but as Margaret Thatcher once said, every prime minister needs a Willie, writes Sean O’Grady?
The conduct that sent Dominic Raab to the backbenches – key points
Former deputy prime minister Dominic Raab has resigned after an inquiry found he had acted in an “intimidating” and “aggressive” way with officials.
The 47-page report by Adam Tolley KC examines a number of incidents spanning the former minister’s tenure as foreign secretary, justice secretary and Brexit secretary.
Here PA takes a look at the key allegations – and which ones were upheld:
The conduct that sent Dominic Raab to the backbenches – key points
Here PA takes a look at the key allegations – and details which ones were upheld.
‘Raab mess’ destroyed trust between ministers and civil servants – think tank
The investigation into claims Dominic Raab bullied staff has led to a “complete breakdown” in trust between ministers and civil servants, a think tank has said.
Alex Thomas, programme director at the Institute for Government, said the inquiry has exposed “deep flaws” in the process for handling poor ministerial behaviour and that raising a complaint is still seen as “a sure-fire way to end a civil service career”.
Reacting to the report published by Adam Tolley on Friday, Mr Thomas said: “(The) system can only function if there is a high level of trust between politicians and the officials who serve them.
More on this story here:
‘Raab mess’ destroyed trust between ministers and civil servants – think tank
Several Conservative MPs have spoken out against those who complained about Dominic Raab’s behaviour while civil servants have been ‘traumatised’.
GB News rumours swirl as Rees-Mogg declares: ‘I don’t think Raab needed to resign’
Dominic Raab should not have resigned, Jacob Rees-Mogg has said, suggesting the former deputy PM “had not done anything improper.”
Mr Raab quit this morning after a report upheld two claims of bullying against him and found he was “unreasonably and persistently aggressive” in a meeting while foreign secretary.
Speaking to GB News this evening, former Cabinet minister Mr Rees-Mogg declared Mr Raab had been wrong to take such action, which he claimed set a “damaging” precedent for the role of the civil service.
GB News rumours swirl as Rees-Mogg declares: ‘I don’t think Raab needed to resign’
It’s a great mistake that Dominic Raab has been forced out, says former Cabinet minister
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