Rishi Sunak will hand-pick a special investigator to look into bullying claims against Dominic Raab, it has been revealed.
The Prime Minister today said an “independent” probe would take place into two formal complaints against his deputy.
But No10 has now confirmed this investigator will not be the independent advisor on ministerial interests - a job that has been vacant since June.
Instead, No10 said “work is under way today to appoint an independent investigator" from outside government.
“It will be suitably qualified independent person to investigate the complaints”, No10 said.
It throws up a whole host of new questions about the transparency and accountability of the investigation.
Downing Street refused to guarantee the Prime Minister will abide by the findings - as he can reject them if he wishes.
A spokeswoman also refused to say if the findings will be published in full or if the investigation will conclude by Christmas.
Meanwhile a No10 spokeswoman said the PM has “full confidence” in his deputy and does not regret appointing him - meaning he could spend months longer in his job.
Recruitment for an independent advisor on ministerial interests will go on separately.
The temporary investigator will be supported by the propriety and ethics team in the Cabinet Office.
Earlier Angela Rayner channeled Donald Trump and demanded the Tories "drain the swamp" in a furious clash with bullying accused Dominic Raab.
Facing off with the Deputy PM at PMQs, Labour's deputy leader blasted Rishi Sunak for authorising an investigation into Mr Raab "from a watchdog he hasn’t even appointed”.
Blasting Mr Raab to his face she added: "The Deputy PM knows his behaviour is unacceptable so what is he still doing here?"
Mr Raab said “I will thoroughly rebut and refute any of the claims that have been made", and said of a claim he angrily threw tomatoes from a Pret salad: "That never happened".
But Ms Rayner said he was suggesting “civil servants are liars” - claiming the Tories had “no ethics, no integrity and no mandate - and still no ethics advisor”.
She said: "His letter contains no hint of admission or apology. This is Anti-Bullying Week. Will he apologise?"
Using the phrase often used by the former US President, she went on: “When will they appoint a new independent ethics advisor and drain the swamp?"
Mr Raab refused her call to apologise and accused her of the “usual mix of bluster and mudslinging”.
It comes after Civil Service World reported a former Justice official said Mr Raab had created a "culture of fear" and had a habit of "intimidating and belittling civil servants".
And The Guardian reported a civil servant will join Mr Raab in the room during meetings.
The former head of the Foreign Office, Lord McDonald, yesterday claimed staff were “scared” to go into Mr Raab's office and he was “abrasive and controlling".
"It was language, it was tone," the peer told Times Radio. “He would be very curt with people. And he did this in front of a lot of other people. I think people felt demeaned.”
Lord McDonald confirmed reports he raised Mr Raab’s behaviour with him, telling Times Radio: “I tried to have that conversation with him."
