British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab resigned from the government on Friday, shaking officials after an independent report he commissioned was highly critical of forcing out one of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s top ministers. Losing a third elderly minister in six months because of their particular behavior will hurt Sunak’s shot at restoring his Conservative party’s fortunes ahead of the original elections in May and upset Sunak’s promise of an inclusive government when he entered Downing Street in October.
Raab issued an angry resignation letter, arguing that he had behaved “intimidatingly” and “persistently aggressively” during his time as foreign minister, arguing that the report’s findings were bloody. But he has promised to step down if the bullying allegations are upheld.”I have called for an investigation and will step down if it turns out there was any bullying,” said Rob.
“I believe it’s important to keep my word.” Raab has no formal powers as Sunak’s deputy but can become a top minister if he is absent from Congress or incapacitated. He is a close political supporter of Sunak and helped launch her campaign to become the top minister last summer. The results undermined Sunak’s sweatshop to present his government as a clean break from Boris Johnson’s blame-ridden premiership and the chaotic profiteering that decimated Liz Truss two months ago.
Sunak said he was saddened to accept Rob’s retirement and acknowledged to his organizations how the original allegations of his conduct were handled. Lawyer Adam Tolley’s five-month inquiry into Robb’s conduct heard evidence from government officials about complaints of bullying in three separate departments. Rob went further than was appropriate with his critical feedback and disparaged the work of officials at the Ministry of Justice, setting up the report, which he said was mishandled, but not misused by design.
Although he did not scold or roar at colleagues, he was highly critical of the work of civil retainers, describing the work of some officers as “absolutely useless” and “deplorable”. He should have changed his approach first.” Robb, 49, is part of a generation of politicians who came to power after the Brexit vote in 2016. He went to Crete on leave as the Taliban moved towards Kabul. He was sacked as British Foreign Secretary in 2021.
Robb requested a hearing in November after complaints about his conduct were upheld. He apologized for causing any undue stress or offense, but “sets a dangerous precedent” for effective government with a low threshold for threats, the report said. In his letter, Cabinet Office minister and key Sunak supporter Oliver Dowden were appointed as the new Deputy High Minister, while former barrister Alex Chalk was appointed as the new Justice Minister.
Some Conservative MPs said that Raab did not deserve to lose. Keir Starmer, the leader of the main opposition Labor Party, accused Raab of “weakness” for allowing Sunak to retire instead of sacking him. Sunak’s other senior minister, Gavin Williamson, quit in November after allegations of intimidation, and the senior minister was sacked in January after Conservative Party president Nadeem Zahavi was set to follow clerical law by going public about his affairs.
Parliament’s rules watchdog Sunak is facing its own controversy over whether it properly declared its woman’s stake in a childcare firm that would profit from the new government policy.
