Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has resigned after an investigation into claims he bullied staff while in office.
Mr Raab confirmed the news today in a statement shared on Twitter after an independent report by Adam Tolley KC landed on Rishi Sunak’s desk this morning.
The Tory MP for Deputy said he was ‘duty bound’ to step down from the top post.
He, according to one allegation, lobbed Pret-a-Manger tomatoes across a room in a ‘fit of range’ – a claim he denied.
But he brushed aside ‘all but two’ of the laundry list of allegations against him.
‘I also believe that its two adverse findings are flawed and set a dangerous precedent for the conduct of good government,’ Mr Raab said.
Mr Raab had long promised to step down if a bully claim against him was upheld.
Since November, Mr Raab has been investigated over eight formal complaints involving 24 staff about his behaviour across three top government posts: foreign secretary, Brexit secretary and his first Cabinet gig of justice secretary.
His conduct has been under the magnifying glass of Mr Tolley, a relatively unknown lawyer with an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of employment law.
The FDA, a trade union representing top civil servants, has claimed Mr Raab’s staffers have suffered ‘mental health crises’ and quit or downgraded jobs as a result.
Mr Raab’s resignation means there will now be a cabinet re-shuffle in Westminster in yet another reminder for Mr Sunak that his desire to restore stability in Conservative politics is a tall order.
Downing Street previously said Mr Sunak had ‘full confidence’ in Mr Raab while he considered the report’s findings.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said: ‘He does have full confidence in the (Deputy) Prime Minister – that still stands.
‘Obviously, he is carefully considering the findings of the report.’
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