Staff working under Dominic Raab were forced to see their GPs for stress as he presided over a “perverse culture of fear”, it emerged today.
Ministry of Justice civil servants consulted their doctors about their mental health, according to a formal complaint.
“The combination of the pressure of work and unreasonable deadlines has had such an impact on some colleagues’ mental and physical health that they have visited their GPs, and some have subsequently been signed off work for extended periods of time,” said a formal complaint letter, seen by The Times.
“Colleagues have confided in [each other] that they have been reluctant to be signed off due to the impact that this would have on their other team members.”
It claimed “the communication style of the Deputy Prime Minister” and some working closely with him was “often abrupt, rude and can be upsetting”.
It went on: “There have been multiple recent examples of colleagues being left in tears after being on the receiving end of this inappropriate behaviour.”
The complainants said they were “extremely worried about the perverse culture of fear that is clearly permeating this department”, alleging there was a “tangible shift towards a dysfunctional working culture”.
The complaint was submitted by a group of Ministry of Justice officials in March.
It was resubmitted this week as the staff wanted to be sure it had been understood it was a “formal” complaint.
Previously the Government had claimed that no “formal” complaints had been made against Mr Raab.
He faces a series of allegations he bullied officials and deployed rude and “demeaning” behaviour in previous Cabinet roles.
No10 is set to appoint an independent investigator to examine two complaints against the Cabinet Minister.
Standing in for Rishi Sunak at Prime Minister’s Questions this week, Mr Raab told the Commons he was "confident" he had behaved "professionally".
A source close to Mr Raab said it would be inappropriate to comment on allegations now an investigation has been confirmed.
