Civil servants ‘bullied’ by Dominic Raab ‘suffered mental health crises’, claims union boss

After days of damaging headlines, Dominic Raab continues to come back beneath strain over bullying allegations. The deputy prime minister and justice secretary is at present the topic of an official investigation with eight formal complaints having been made towards him. 

At prime minister questions yesterday, Labour lead Sir Keir Starmer questioned whether or not Mr Sunak had been knowledgeable in regards to the allegation previous to Raab’s reappointments. Sir Keir accused Sunak of being “too weak” to sack Raab over the bullying allegations.

Pressed after the exchanges, Sunak’s press secretary refused to be drawn on whether or not No 10 was conscious of attainable complaints about Raab’s alleged bullying. She repeated the prime minister was “not conscious of any formal complaints on the time of the appointment”.

Questioned about Raab’s conduct this morning, the final secretary of the FDA union Dave Penman instructed Sky Information that civil servants who had been allegedly bullied by Dominic Raab have “suffered psychological well being crises” consequently. 

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The overall secretary of the FDA union, which represents senior Whitehall officers, added: “I’ve spoken to people who find themselves civil servants working and have labored for Dominic Raab, who’ve suffered psychological well being crises, have misplaced their careers primarily as a result of they’ve needed to transfer and alter jobs”.

He repeated requires Mr Raab to be suspended whereas an investigation into bullying claims is performed, including: “For those who’re in a office the place you’re being bullied, the place the each day grind of coming to work destroys your psychological well being, then that has an impression in your profession”.

Mr Penman additionally rubbished the thought of a “conspiracy” towards Mr Raab this morning. He stated such a declare is “extraordinary and it couldn’t be farther from the reality”.

“Civil servants are politically neutral. They need to serve the federal government of the day and do the perfect job however they need to be protected and work in an atmosphere the place they don’t seem to be bullies for doing that”.

It comes as Raab launches a fightback over the allegation, claiming that officers are attempting to pressure him out. Allies of the previous Brexit secretary say he’s being focused by civil servants who’re against measures he’s championing equivalent to a British invoice of rights.

Raab’s spokesman instructed The Occasions: “The deputy prime minister has by no means sworn or shouted in a gathering. He units targets throughout the division to focus relentlessly on supply in the best way that the British individuals would count on”.

Equally, a former colleague of Raab’s tells the Day by day Mail: “There’s a clear try by a bunch of politically motivated mandarins to get him”.

The primary claims towards Mr Raab emerged in The Guardian and concentrate on his time on the ministry of justice between September 2021 and September 2022 beneath Boris Johnson.

The Guardian steered round 15 senior civil servants in his personal workplace had been provided “respite or a route out” after his return was introduced, resulting from issues some had been nonetheless traumatised from working for him.

A number of MoJ sources additionally stated he had beforehand created a “tradition of worry” within the division, alleging he was “demeaning reasonably than demanding” with civil servants, and that he was “very impolite and aggressive”, including: “[He] wasn’t simply unprofessional, he was a bully”.

A spokesperson for the division stated there was “zero tolerance for bullying throughout the civil service”, including: “The deputy prime minister leads an expert division, driving ahead main reforms, the place civil servants are valued and the extent of ambition is excessive”.

Rishi Sunak has appointed Adam Tolley KC to analyze the bullying claims.