Dominic Raab ‘will be toast at end of bullying investigation’

It has been claimed that Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab will have no choice but to resign at the end of an independent investigation into allegations of bullying.

A senior official in the Cabinet Office has told colleagues that Mr Raab is “a toast” when the process ends later this month, according to the Sunday times.

Officials close to the Adam Tooley KC investigation are said to have been “shocked” by some of the allegations – including staff getting sick before meetings with Mr Raab and regularly leaving in tears.

The lawyer is now expected to finish the investigation and publish his findings before Parliament’s Easter recess on March 30.

It comes as Mark Sirotka, general secretary of the PCS Civil Service Union, said Mr Raab should “step down” from his ministerial roles – or be suspended – until the investigation into the alleged bullying is concluded.

Mr Serwotka told Sky’s: Sophie Ridge on Sunday: “While Dominic Raab is going through an operation, we know that Priti Patel was found to have intimidated civil servants at the Home Office, but she barely got away with it.”

The CPS president said: “We know Soella Braverman broke ministerial law, but now she’s issuing emails accusing her workforce of obstructing her Rwanda policy. And now we have Dominic Raab with not one, but many, complaints.” [against him]. “

Mr Sirotka added: “The point I would make is that if one of my members had such an allegation against them they would be suspended.

“He should be set aside, or he should be suspended while the allegations are investigated, and it is time for the government to realize that the way they are seen to treat their workforce is causing morale to plummet and causing people to really question whether they can play a role in the service.” the public “.

Raab denied bullying and insisted he “acted professionally throughout” – but said he would resign if the bullying allegation was upheld.

Earlier this week, Mr Raab suggested that the rules surrounding an investigation into whether officials had been breached by witnesses speaking to the media.

“Anyone involved in the investigation who comments to the media anonymously or otherwise violates the rules, and as a matter of basic professional integrity, I will not do so,” he said.

After insisting on his relationship with civil servants on Friday, Mr Raab added: “Of course you want to have a positive relationship. With the vast majority of people, that’s what I do, that’s the way it is.”

Raab has vowed to resign if he is found to have intimidated staff, as the investigation draws to a close after interviewing the minister himself.

Rishi Sunak ordered the investigation in November after coming under pressure following numerous allegations, including that he was so demeaning to junior colleagues that many were “scared” to enter his office.

Boris Johnson and former Permanent Secretary to the Foreign Office Simon MacDonald are the ones who are understood to have given evidence to the investigating lawyer’s team.

The Secretary General of the Food and Drug Administration, Dave Penman, said some employees who worked with the first minister had experienced “mental health crises” and had been forced out of their jobs and demoted as a result of his behaviour.

The union boss also denied allegations by Mr Raab’s allies that the complaints against him are a politically motivated “plot” to force him to step down as deputy prime minister.

Some witnesses to the inquest gave positive assessments of Mr Raab’s conduct as well as negative evidence about his behaviour, as understood.