Dominic Raab hits back after resigning over bullying report

Dominic Robb now out of government absolutely but that was not possible the publication of this damning

report

which sealed his fate and forced the resignation of the Deputy Prime Minister eight formal complaints about his conduct investigated by Adam Tolley KC two of them confirmed the fast of his time as foreign secretary where his behavior was found to be unreasonably intimidating and persistently aggressive and his conduct was found to be an abuse or abuse of power in the Ministry of Justice 2 another complaint claimed that Rob acted in a manner that was intimidating while his conduct was insulting what language and according to testimony I heard from some who had seen Mr Rob's behavior the way he would treat people but little people question people ignore people created a horrible atmosphere they were nervous to go to meetings with him because he feared they would have their strips ripped off despite the verdict this is a reluctant resignation Dominic Raab directly to the prime minister to say while I feel duty bound to accept the outcome of the investigation dismissed all but two of the complaints The threshold for

bullying

is so low that this inquiry has set a dangerous precedent that will encourage false complaints against ministers and have a chilling effect on those who are pushing for change on behalf of your Dominic Robb government in your constituency. today trying to convince almost everyone the complaints against me were dismissed and what this does not give you is a handful of very high ranking officials none of the minor complaints were confirmed and I got on and dealt with hundreds of public officials thousands of others people in the prison service in the court service and what you have is the risk here a very small minority of very activist officials eh with a passive aggressive culture of the Civil Service the PM except in the resignation but clearly hurt responding it is with great sadness that I have accepted his resignation, add that I would always be grateful for Mr Robb's strong personal support and the dedication, commitment and loyalty he brought to the role of deputy prime minister for the opposition, the person to blame for all this mess, the prime minister himself Minister, what I think this shows is the continued weakness of the Prime Minister because there is a double weakness here, you should never have appointed him in the first place along with other cabinet members who should not have been appointed and then you did not fire him and even today he is Rob who resigned rather acting Prime Minister early afternoon new appointments arrived Oliver Dowden long soon loyalist acting appointed the new Deputy Prime Minister and Alex Chalk is the Attorney General but Fresh Faces does little to change and the uncomfortable reality at the end Mr Rob's departure was inevitable after two

bullying

allegations were confirmed, he had no choice but to resign but this is much more than Mr Rob's career, it also affects the Prime Minister, three of his ministers cabinet have been forced out of government in the last five months and you have to ask yourself is this really a government of integrity, professionalism and accountability, while the prime minister's supporters will say this shows he is prepared to clear his top table Others will argue that it shows a gross lack of judgment that put Rob and others in his cabinet in the first place, either way what Rob's departure brings

back

to this place is a sense of scandal, exactly what this new prime minister was desperate to avoid.

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