The Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Dominic Raabpresented his resignation this Friday after the publication of a report confirming the accusations leveled against him by Workplace Harassment. This document has studied the formal complaints against Raab during his time in different government portfolios between 2018 and 2022.
Raab is one of the closest allies of the head of government, Rishi Sunak. The resignation of the also Minister of Justice supposes a strong political setback for the prime ministerwho always had his support from the first moment he launched his candidacy to lead the Conservative Party to replace Liz Truss.
In a letter released via Twitter, Raab has explained that he resigns as he had promised to do if the report prepared by lawyer Adam Tolley contained “any finding of harassment”, despite the fact that he denies having committed it.
“I requested the investigation (…). I think it is important to keep my word,” he wrote in his resignation letter. Despite everything, Raab believes that “by setting the bar for bullying so low, This investigation sets a dangerous precedent.” In his opinion, it will encourage “spurious complaints against ministers” and will have a pernicious effect on “those who drive the changes” in the Sunak government.
Raab’s resignation is a strong political setback for Sunak
The Prime Minister has examined the report prepared at his request. The Executive received eight formal complaints for Raab’s behavior when he was Minister of Brexit (2018), Foreign Affairs (2019-2021) and in his first stage as Minister of Justice, between September 2021 and September 2022.
Although the report has not yet been made public, Raab says the investigation “has ruled out all but two of the allegations (a total of eight)” and that those two “contained errors.” And he also considers that the ministers they must be able to give “critical direct responses” to their subordinates.
Sunak is now expected to undertake a small ministerial remodelingwhile doubts persist as to whether he was aware of the complaints against his ally before appointing him again at the head of Justice last October 25.
