Former Tory chairman Sir Jake Berry has called for Dominic Raab to be suspended while he’s investigated over bullying claims. He said that someone facing similar allegations in the private sector would have to stand aside while the situation was resolved.
He said in an interview on BBC Radio 4’s The Week in Westminster: “The way these sort of complaints would be dealt with in the private sector is you would be suspended while they were investigated. It would be very bizarre if you had someone in any other workplace who wasn't suspended pending that investigation.
"MPs and ministers are not some form of special human being, I think they should just be treated like anyone else is in their workplace." Mr Rabb, who is also the Justice Secretary, is facing a series of complaints of bullying and abusive behaviour said to involve dozens of civil servants who worked with him, with Sir Jake’s intervention increasing the pressure on the situation, the Mirror reports.
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His suspension has already been called for by the FDA union, which represents senior civil servants, while lawyer Adam Tolley KC completes his inquiry into the allegations. Labour has accused Rishi Sunak of being too weak to move against his deputy - Mr Raab was one of his strongest supporters in the battle for Tory leadership following Boris Johnson’s resignation.
Sir Jake suggested a change in rules for ministers and the creation of a formal mechanism whereby they would be suspended during an investigation, and then reinstated if they were cleared.
"We have a system in Parliament that you're either in a job or you're not in a job," he said. "I think that would be a big help to the Prime Minister if he had that additional tool in his box.
"It requires a bit of updating of the ministerial code and I think the public would welcome it."
Mr Sunak says he was not told of any “formal complaints” against Mr Raab before he appointed him as Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister. Mr Raab denies the claims, and has insisted he “behaved professionally at all times.”
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