DOMINIC Raab has confirmed two separate complaints have been made about his conduct and has asked the Prime Minister to open an independent investigation into the allegations.
The deputy prime minister and Justice Secretary has been facing a series of allegations he bullied officials and deployed rude and demeaning behaviour in previous Cabinet roles.
He tweeted on Wednesday that he had “written to the Prime Minister to request an independent investigation into two formal complaints that have been made against me”.
Sunak, who is Indonesia at the G20 summit, has defended his second in command following the string of allegations.
In his letter to Sunak, Raab said: “I have just been notified that two separate complaints have formally been made against me, in parallel, from my time as foreign secretary and my first tenure as justice secretary, which ended in September of this year.
I have written to the Prime Minister to request an independent investigation into two formal complaints that have been made against me. I look forward to addressing these complaints, and continuing to serve as Deputy Prime Minister, Justice Secretary, and Lord Chancellor. pic.twitter.com/3lmJR76e6b
— Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) November 16, 2022
“I am, therefore, writing to request that you commission an independent investigation into the claims as soon as possible. I will co-operate fully and respect whatever outcome you decide.”
The Conservative MP for Esher and Walton said he had “never tolerated bullying, and always sought to reinforce and empower the teams of civil servants working in my respective departments”.
Top Ministry of Justice officials had reportedly ruled there must be a senior civil servant in the room at all meetings involving Raab due to the recent allegations about his conduct, according to a report in The Guardian on Wednesday.
The newspaper also reported that Philip Rycroft, the former permanent secretary to the Department for Exiting the European Union, raised concerns about Raab’s behaviour during his time as Brexit secretary with the then-cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill.
Raab was also reportedly warned about his behaviour towards officials while he was foreign secretary.
The concerns were raised with Raab by Lord Simon McDonald, who was the senior civil servant at the Foreign Office, and the mandarin also informally discussed the situation with the Cabinet Office’s propriety and ethics team, The Guardian reported.
It is the latest blow to the new prime minister’s administration, after he faced criticism for appointing Sir Gavin Williamson to his senior team despite being told he was under investigation for allegedly bullying a colleague, claims that caused Williamson to quit.
Raab has said he is “confident” he has behaved “professionally” as he was grilled over the investigation at PMQs.
The deputy prime minister was standing in for Rishi Sunak with Labour’s Angela Rayner stating Raab “has had to demand an investigation into himself, because the Prime Minister is too weak to get a grip”.
Raab told the Commons: “She asked about the complaints, I received the notification this morning, I immediately asked the Prime Minister to set up an independent inquiry into them.
“I’m confident I behaved professionally throughout but of course I will engage thoroughly and look forward to transparently addressing any claims that have been made.”
Downing Street said the work has begun to appoint an investigator, who will be someone from outside the Government.
Asked how the process could be considered independent with an investigator hand-picked by the Prime Minister, a spokeswoman said: “It will be a suitably qualified, independent person to investigate the complaints.”
