Fears are growing of a “whitewash” over Dominic Raab’s alleged bullying as several of his ex-colleagues prepare to report him.
A top KC is looking into two allegations about the Deputy PM’s conduct - one from his time as Justice Secretary and another as Foreign Secretary.
It’s now understood a string of former colleagues are preparing to file extra complaints, and there are also allegations about his use of his private e-mail.
Yet job disputes expert Adam Tolley can only look at new complaints if Rishi Sunak lets him.
And the PM - who still has “full confidence” in Mr Raab - can overturn any findings because he is the “ultimate judge” of ministers’ behaviour.
A source with knowledge of some of the complaints warned staffers were “psychologically scarred” and “terrified” to complain because they do not trust the process.
The source told the Mirror: “It has taken an awful lot for people to come forward.
“These people are scarred psychologically from having to deal with him and they are terrified to make a complaint.”
However, it is not guaranteed the complaints will all end up being made formally.
The source said “wherever he went there was carnage and people left”, but added: “People are really worried because this whole process is not independent.
“Adam Tolley only gets to investigate what the Prime Minister says he can investigate. And the Prime Minister gets to decide on the final outcome.
“These people have no confidence that Rishi Sunak will actually address this and deal with it.”
BBC Newsnight reported a “raft” of senior civil servants in “multiple” departments are preparing complaints, including “several” former private secretaries for Mr Raab.
Similarly, the Mirror understands multiple people who worked with Mr Raab over the years are preparing to lodge complaints, on top of the two being formally investigated.
But some of these complaints have only been raised with the government informally so far, or have not yet been raised with the government at all.
It is understood many come from people who used to work with him most closely, such as in his private office.
By 4pm on Thursday, no extra complaints had been added to Mr Tolley’s investigation, Downing Street confirmed.
The PM’s spokesman said: “I don't intend to provide a running commentary on what's an independent and rightly confidential process.”
Asked if the probe would be a whitewash, the PM’s spokesman replied: “It is longstanding convention that the Prime Minister of the day is the arbiter of the [Ministerial] Code and the final decision maker on these sorts of issues.
“The investigator looking into this is highly experienced and has suitable background, and is being given access to whatever they need to conduct a thorough and swift investigation.”
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: "The Raab Report is already looking like a Tory whitewash as troubling allegations about the Deputy Prime Minister are ruled out of scope by a stroke of the Prime Minister’s pen.
"This so-called independent investigation has already been blocked from looking into civil service expressions of concern, informal complaints and the concerning testimony of his own former Permanent Secretary, while the drip-drip-drip of allegations about his Deputy continues.
"Rishi Sunak's stitch-up will fool no one."
Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union for civil servants, told Newsnight Rishi Sunak should consider if it is “safe” to keep Mr Raab in his job.
Mr Tolley was appointed as a one-off investigator after Lord Geidt, the permanent independent adviser on ministers' interests, quit in June in a row with Boris Johnson.
Downing Street is still trying to recruit Lord Geidt’s replacement after Liz Truss considered getting rid of his role altogether.
Ms Rayner said Lord Geidt had “quit in disgust” adding: “A temporary stop-gap investigator, appointed in a panic, with an absurdly narrow remit is not a solution to dealing with the flood of allegations of ministerial misconduct now requiring investigation."
Mr Tolley, a specialist in employment law, has previously represented several government bodies in court - often instructed by the Government Legal Department.
In 2013, he defended a British intelligence chief against a secret agent who claimed she was sexually harassed by her married boss.
The spy - Miss D - partially won her case against the agency, which was not named for national security reasons. But her boss - Mr F - was cleared.
And in 2011 he defended King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, against claims from a former Solicitor that his valet had racially abused her.
In 2014, the website Your Barrister Boyfriend listed him among the nine 'hottest' new QCs, noting that he had a "very nice" profile picture on his chambers' website.
A spokesman for Dominic Raab declined to comment on the new allegations, instead pointing back to a previous statement.
The spokesman previously said: “The Deputy Prime Minister has asked the Prime Minister to commission an independent investigation into two separate complaints that have now been formally made in parallel against him. The DPM holds professionalism and integrity as articles of faith and will cooperate fully with the investigation and whatever its outcome may be.
“The DPM has brought determination, drive, and professionalism to each of his government roles, often in challenging circumstances, and remains committed to delivering for the British people. He has never tolerated bullying or unprofessional behaviour, and looks forward to answering the allegations made of him directly.”
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