The storm never ends. It is the turn of the British Minister of Justice, Dominic Raab, to be accused of harassment vis-à-vis his staff. The newspaper The Guardian reported on Friday evening that department officials had been offered an “exit door” as some feared working again with the former justice minister under Boris Johnson, between September 2021 and September 2022. the British daily, ministry staff described a “culture of fear” within a service headed by a “rude” and “aggressive” man. “He wasn’t just unprofessional, he was a bully. »
The newspaper reports that his reappointment to the post he left during the short-lived Liz Truss government has caused anguish for many civil servants, with some considering resigning. For its part, the tabloid The Sun indicates that Dominic Raab allegedly threw tomatoes in a fit of anger during a meeting, which his spokesperson called “nonsense”, pointing out that “Dominic works hard and expects a lot from his team and himself”.
Williamson before him
While Rishi Sunak and his Conservative government took office less than three weeks ago, he is the second minister to face such accusations. Tuesday evening already, the British minister without portfolio Gavin Williamson had announced his resignation after accusations of harassment.
In particular, he would have insulted the former “whip” (in charge of the discipline of the Conservative deputies) to complain of not having been invited to the funeral of Elizabeth II. Others report that he told an official to “cut his throat” and “throw himself out the window”.
Labor wants explanations
These accusations lead to questions about the choices of Rishi Sunak’s team. Labor Deputy Leader Angela Rayner called for an “urgent and independent” investigation.
The Prime Minister’s office, the Conservative Party and the commission in charge of harassment in Parliament have opened investigations targeting this controversial minister, who has already been sacked from two governments under Theresa May and then under Boris Johnson. Rishi Sunak denounced “unacceptable reproached behavior” but assured that he was not aware of “specific concerns” when appointing him.