Dominic Raab now facing EIGHT formal complaints in 'bullying' probe

Dominic Raab now facing EIGHT formal complaints in ‘bullying’ probe after PM asks top barrister to widen investigation to include a further five allegations

• Dominic Raab is now facing eight formal complaints about his past behaviour
• A further five allegations are included in an ongoing probe into the Deputy PM
• Mr Raab had already been hit by three formal complaints over his conduct 

Dominic Raab is now facing eight formal complaints about his behaviour as a probe into ‘bullying’ allegations was widened once again, No10 revealed today.

Downing Street said top barrister Adam Tolley KC had been asked by the Prime Minister to include a further five complaints in his ongoing investigation.

The fresh allegations relate to Mr Raab’s conduct at the Ministry of Justice.

Mr Tolley was last month appointed by Rishi Sunak to lead an investigation into Mr Raab’s behaviour following a slew of claims about the Cabinet minister’s treatment of officials.

Initially, the probe into Mr Raab – who is Justice Secretary as well as Deputy Prime Minister – focused on two formal complaints from his time as foreign secretary and his first spell at the justice department.

This was later widened to include a third formal complaint relating to Mr Raab’s time at the Department for Exiting the EU in 2018.

And now Mr Tolley’s investigation has been expanded again to include another five allegations.

Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats today questioned why Mr Raab has not been suspended from his ministerial duties while the investigation is ongoing.

They also put pressure on Mr Sunak to confirm he will sack the Deputy PM if the complaints against him are upheld.

Dominic Raab, the Justice Secretary and Deputy PM, is now facing eight formal complaints about his behaviour

Downing Street said Rishi Sunak had asked for a further five allegations about Mr Raab to be included in an ongoing investigation

Top barrister Adam Tolley KC was last month appointed to lead the investigation into Mr Raab’s past conduct

Revealing the latest claims against Mr Raab, the PM’s official spokesman said: ‘I can confirm that the Prime Minister has now asked the investigator to include five further formal complaints relating to conduct at the Ministry of Justice as part of the ongoing investigation and in line with the existing terms of reference.’

The spokesman confirmed they are five further complaints on top of the three already being investigated.

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said: ‘It is yet another sign of how weak Rishi Sunak is as a Prime Minister that despite being aware of Dominic Raab’s reputation, he appointed him as his deputy.

‘The PM must now say why he has not been suspended until the outcome of the formal investigation, and make clear that any breach of the Ministerial Code will result in his immediate sacking.

‘The Government must also take immediate steps to ensure there is a safe working environment for their staff.’

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper claimed Mr Raab’s position was becoming ‘increasingly untenable’ amid the ‘flood’ of allegations.

‘Rishi Sunak must ask Raab to step down as Justice Secretary while these complaints are investigated, and confirm he won’t be reappointed if they are upheld,’ she added.

‘Anything less would make a mockery of Sunak’s claim that he would govern with “integrity”.

‘It can’t be one rule for Conservative ministers and another for everyone else.’

Mr Raab has previously vowed to ‘thoroughly rebut and refute’ the claims against him and insisted he has ‘behaved professionally at all times’ during his ministerial career.

The Deputy PM has dismissed claims he had once hurled tomatoes from a salad across a room in a fit of anger.

Mr Tolley is a barrister at Fountain Court chambers and is set to report his findings about Mr Raab to the PM.

He previously represented King Charles in a tribunal case in 2005 and is described as ‘an encyclopaedia of employment law’.

Downing Street has said it wants Mr Tolley’s investigation to be completed ‘as swiftly as possible’.

Amid the slew of allegations about Mr Raab’s past behaviour, Lord McDonald – who was the top civil servant at the Foreign Office when Mr Raab led the department recently claimed staff were ‘scared’ to enter the minister’s office.

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