He will have resisted twenty-four hours, but the pressure was too intense. Dominic Raab, Deputy Prime Minister of Rishi Sunak, Minister of Justice and loyal to the British leader, resigned on Friday, April 21, after the delivery to Downing Street, the day before, of a report concerning him pointing to borderline behavior harassment, not of a sexual nature, but of a psychological nature.
Oliver Dowden, Boris Johnson’s former culture minister, also considered to be on the right of the Tories, has been appointed deputy prime minister and Alex Chalk, a rather discreet defense secretary, recovers justice portfolio.
This departure weakens Rishi Sunak, a fortnight before municipal elections which promise to be complicated for the conservatives, and raises questions about his judgment skills. Mr Raab is indeed the third member of his cabinet pushed to leave for his past conduct, after Gavin Williamson, an ex-education minister hated for his bullying ways, and Nadhim Zahawi, ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer targeted by a huge tax adjustment.
The independent investigation into the behavior of Mr. Raab, 49, ex-Brexit minister under Theresa May, then foreign affairs minister under Boris Johnson, was launched in November 2022 following the filing of formal complaints – eight in all – by collaborators who denounced its supposed harshness. According to their confidences relayed by the media, Mr. Raab was so brittle that they were afraid to confront him in meetings, others would even have had “suicidal thoughts” because of him.
“Intimidating” and “aggressive” behavior
Without explicitly accusing him of “harassment”, a conduct contrary to the British ministerial code, the report written by the lawyer Adam Tolley raises attitudes « intimidating ” And “aggressive”. Mr. Raab has constantly denounced these allegations, assuring that he had acted “professionally at all times” during his career. His letter of resignation on Friday contains no regrets and affirms, on the contrary, that his departure creates a precedent “dangerous to the conduct of good government”.
“Ministers must be able to give their critical opinion to reports provided by collaborators in order to set work requirements and carry out the reforms that the public expects from us”, insisted the ex-minister. In an article at Daily Telegraph published on Friday, it denounces an investigation carried out by “Kafkaesque way”.
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