Dominic Raab is facing five more formal complaints from officials at the Ministry of Justice over allegations of bullying behavior during his previous time in the department, No 10 has confirmed.
Downing Street announced that the justice secretary was under investigation over a total of eight separate incidents, and No 10 officials said they wanted the independent inquiry to be concluded quickly.
The Deputy Prime Minister had pledged to “thoroughly rebut and refute” the three official complaints he was already facing, one from the MoJ and two more from his time as Foreign Secretary and Brexit Secretary.
However, further formal allegations will be a blow to Raab’s attempts to clear his name and raise even more questions about Rishi Sunak’s judgment in reappointing him to such a high post.
The Guardian reported last month that senior Justice Ministry officials were offered “a breather or an exit” from the department when Raab was re-nominated to the post in October, amid concerns that some were still traumatized by his behavior during his previous time there.
Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you through the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning
Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertisements and content funded by third parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
After initial formal complaints, including a joint letter from junior MoJ staff accusing Raab of creating “a culture of fear” in the department, The Guardian also revealed that MoJ officials planned to file more complaints about their alleged behavior.
The new allegations are understood to be from senior officials with direct experience of alleged harassment and aggressive behavior by the justice secretary when he was previously in the department. “They feel they need to be shoulder to shoulder with more junior staff,” said one source.
Sunak has appointed a senior employment lawyer, Adam Tolley KC, who has experience in handling whistleblower claims, to investigate formal complaints about his deputy. He will report to the Prime Minister, who will then decide whether Raab should face a sanction.