Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab (James Manning/PA)
(Picture: PA Wire)Staff who were allegedly bullied by the Deputy Prime Minister “suffered mental health crises”, a union boss representing Whitehall officials has claimed.
Dominic Raab, who is also the Justice Secretary, has been forced to deny he swore and shouted at senior officials as he faces multiple bullying complaints.
Eight formal accusations have been made against the minister and 24 civil servants have reportedly given evidence to Adam Tolley KC, who is leading the investigation into the claims.
Dave Penman, general secretary of the civil servants union the FDA, alleged that some members of Mr Raab’s staff had been forced out of their jobs because of his behaviour.
He told Sky News: “I’ve spoken to people who are civil servants [who] have worked for Dominic Raab, who have suffered mental health crises, have lost their careers essentially because they’ve had to move and change jobs.”
Allies of Mr Raab have accused civil servants of trying to push him out, while senior Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg warned people against being “too snowflakey” about bullying allegations.
“That’s extraordinary and it couldn’t be further from the truth,” Mr Penman said. “Are we really seeing two dozen civil servants in three different Government departments over a period of four years have got together in some massive conspiracy? That just doesn’t sound credible.”
On Mr Rees-Mogg’s comments, he added: “This sort of behaviour destroys lives. I mean it’s not just about careers — people’s lives and their mental health are at risk when they are subject to systematic bullying — and to belittle it in that way is absolutely outrageous from a former leader of the House and Cabinet minister.”
There is now a growing focus on what the Prime Minister knew when he appointed Mr Raab as his deputy.
Downing Street has said Mr Sunak was not aware of any formal complaints before he made the promotion. However, there is no denial that informal issues about his behaviour had been raised. Opposition parties have called the Prime Minister “weak” for refusing to suspend his deputy while the inquiry into the allegations is ongoing.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused Mr Sunak of being “too weak” to sack Mr Raab. Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said: “It goes to the weakness of the Prime Minister that he’s not prepared to take action when faced with the facts.”
Boris Johnson’s former chief of staff Lord Edward Udny-Lister said Mr Raab was “not an easy man” but he never saw him bully staff when they worked together.
Lord Lister told LBC: “He’s not an easy man. He will tell you exactly what he thinks. I’m sorry, if people don’t like that, and some people might say that’s bullying. I don’t call that bullying. I’m of an age where you did used to express yourself completely, whatever you thought. I’ve not seen bullying.”
Labour MP Andrew Gwynne suggested Mr Raab would have been suspended pending investigation in any other workplace.
He told the Commons this morning: “It is all fine and well talking about a proper process but there are reports that staff working for the Deputy Prime Minister felt physically sick and even suicidal as a result of the alleged bullying.
“Does the minister accept that in any other workplace the Deputy Prime Minister would have been suspended pending investigation? Why is it one rule for the Deputy Prime Minister and one rule for workers anywhere else?”
But Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden replied: “The Government takes any complaints of bullying and harassment very seriously. That is precisely why the Prime Minister appointed Adam Tolley to conduct this investigation. We have appointed an independent adviser, we have a proper process in respect of this.”
