Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab of the United Kingdom resigned from his government position on Friday following an independent investigation into allegations of bullying towards colleagues.
This marks the third senior minister to step down due to personal conduct issues within the last six months under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s leadership, which could impact the governing Conservative Party’s reputation and prospects.
Raab submitted his resignation letter to the Prime Minister before the public release of the investigation report, posing a setback for Sunak just two weeks ahead of the English local council elections, where the Conservatives are expected to face challenges.
Raab, who was deputy prime minister and also served as the justice minister, had initiated the investigation in November in response to government officials’ formal complaints against his behavior.
In his resignation letter, Raab stated that he had committed to stepping down if the investigation found any evidence of bullying, as he believed in keeping his word. While Raab defended his conduct and highlighted that the report concluded he had not engaged in swearing, shouting, or physical intimidation over four and a half years, he did acknowledge two incidents where the report found instances of bullying.
One related to the handling of Brexit negotiation with Gibraltar while at the foreign office, and another involved critical feedback during his previous tenure at the Ministry of Justice from 2021 to 2022. Read more about Biden. He is signing for making childcare cheaper.
Raab expressed concerns about the low threshold set for defining bullying in the investigation, stating that it could set a dangerous precedent for the conduct of good governance and have a chilling effect on those driving change on behalf of the government and the British people.
Raab’s resignation adds to the challenges faced by the current government, which has already experienced scandals involving Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the short tenure of Liz Truss, who stepped down after less than two months as a result of chaotic economic policies.
Other senior ministers, including Gavin Williamson and Nadhim Zahawi, have also resigned due to allegations of bullying in recent months.
In addition to Raab’s resignation, Sunak, the Prime Minister, is under investigation by parliament’s standards watchdog regarding his declaration of his wife’s shareholding in a childcare company that may benefit from new government policies.
Raab’s background includes studying law at Oxford University and working as a lawyer specializing in project finance, international litigation, and competition law before entering politics as a Member of Parliament in 2010 and serving in various senior ministerial roles.
