Bullying allegations force UK Deputy PM Dominic Raab to resign

London: Dominic Raab, who held the position of justice secretary and deputy prime minister, has resigned following numerous accusations of bullying behaviour towards civil servants in the Ministry of Justice and other Whitehall departments.

These allegations have been ongoing for several months, with reports that Raab had been formally complained about for his treatment of staff.

Rishi Sunak, who is closely associated with Dominic Raab, is likely to face scrutiny over his decision to keep Raab in his position as justice secretary while an investigation into his alleged bullying behaviour was being conducted by a prominent employment barrister, Adam Tolley KC.

Raab's resignation is seen as a significant setback for Sunak, who may face questions about his judgment in allowing Raab to remain in office.

Some Conservative MPs are privately worried that Sunak's handling of the situation, along with the Nadhim Zahawi tax controversy, could harm his efforts to promote transparency, professionalism, and accountability in his government and move on from the Boris Johnson era.

Despite facing multiple accusations of bullying behaviour towards civil servants, including those in high-ranking positions, Dominic Raab had repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

He maintained that he would vigorously challenge the formal complaints that were made against him regarding his conduct as justice secretary, as well as his past roles as foreign secretary and Brexit secretary.