Dominic Raab resigns – latest: Ex-deputy PM attacks ‘activist’ civil servants after bullying report
Raab accuses ‘small minority of very activist civil servants’ of blocking proposed reforms
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Dominic Raab has accused “activist” and “passive aggressive” civil servants of trying to block reforms like Brexit in a new interview.
Mr Raab resigned from cabinet this morning after a report upheld two claims of bullying against him and found he was “unreasonably and persistently aggressive” in a meeting while foreign secretary.
Speaking to the BBC, Mr Raab charged a small group of “very activist” senior civil servants with pushing back against proposed government reforms because they don’t support them.
The former deputy PM complained that the report into his conduct did not make clear that no complaints lodged by junior officials were upheld.
He told the BBC that two instances where he was found at fault came from a “handful of very senior officials”.
Mr Raab said there was risk that a “very small minority of very activist civil servants” not in favour of the reforms were “effectively trying to block government”.
“That’s not on. That’s not democratic,” he added.
Mr Raab’s departure sparked a mini-reshuffle, with Alex Chalk, a former junior minister for the Ministry of Defence, replacing him as justice secretary, and Oliver Dowden as deputy prime minister.
Raab attacks ‘activist’ and ‘passive aggressive' civil servants in new interview
Dominic Raab has accused “activist” and “passive aggressive” civil servants of trying to block reforms like Brexit in a new BBC interview.
In an interview with the broadcaster’s political editor Chris Mason, Mr Raab charged a small group of “very activist” senior civil servants with pushing back against proposed government reforms because they don’t support them.
The former deputy PM complained that the report into his conduct did not make clear that no complaints lodged by junior officials were upheld.
He told the BBC that two instances where he was found at fault came from a “handful of very senior officials”.
Mr Raab said there was risk that a “very small minority of very activist civil servants” not in favour of the reforms were “effectively trying to block government”.
“That’s not on. That’s not democratic,” he adds.
7 important things you might have missed from the Dominic Raab bullying report
The report the prompted Dominic Raab‘s resignation runs to a densely packed 47 pages.
The headline is that he did bully staff and quit the governemnt over its findings.
But the report also contains a lot of interesting details about what did and didn’t go on while Mr Raab was a cabinet minister.
There are also a number of curious hints about how the deputy prime minister reacted to the inquiry itself.
Our policy correspondent Jon Stone has the details:
Oliver Dowden named deputy PM after Dominic Raab resigns over allegations – latest
Why did Dominic Raab resign?
Dominic Raab: Timeline of the Deputy Prime Minister's political career
Suella Braverman wins legal battle over ‘emergency’ asylum camp at Essex military base
Suella Braverman has won a legal battle over plans to turn a former military base into a camp housing 1,700 asylum seekers.
The home secretary declared the current shortage of asylum accommodation an “emergency” to bypass normal planning permission, and development has been started at former RAF Wethersfield without local consultation.
Braintree District Council applied for an injunction to stop the scheme and force the government to apply for planning permission in the normal way but on Friday, a judge ruled that the High Court did not have jurisdiction to decide the case.
Our home affairs editor Lizzie Dearden has this breaking story:
Suella Braverman wins legal battle over ‘emergency’ asylum camp at military base
Suella Braverman has won a legal battle over plans to turn a former military base into a camp housing 1,700 asylum seekers.
Dowden ‘deeply honoured’ to be named deputy PM
Newly-appointed deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden said he was “deeply honoured” to take on the role.
“I look forward to working even more closely with the prime minister as we tackle the issues that matter most to the people of this country,” he tweeted.
Tom Peck: Farewell, Raab the ridiculous: a bully to the last
“The British people will pay.” Dominic Raab had five months to come up with some kind of dignified response to be deployed at the moment when he was confirmed to have bullied staff in multiple government departments, to the surprise of absolutely no one. And that was the best he could do.
Read Tom Peck’s latest political sketch here:
Farewell, Raab the ridiculous: a bully to the last | Tom Peck
Raab had five months to come up with some kind of dignified response to being branded a bully, and this was the best he could do?
Alex Chalk warned he inherits a ‘crisis’ from Raab
Alex Chalk has been warned that he faces a “crisis” in the British justice system, as he prepares to take over from Dominic Raab.
The new Justice Secretary will inherit plenty of challenges, including concerns about delays in the court system and the state of the criminal justice system.
But he will also take over responsibility for Mr Raab‘s long-term controversial plan to replace the Human Rights Act.
His arrival at the Ministry of Justice saw the Law Society warn that he “inherits an even worse justice crisis than any of his recent predecessors”.
Lubna Shuja, the Law Society president, said: “The justice system is facing worsening backlogs, legal aid on the point of collapse, crumbling courts and a shortage of judges and court staff. The new Justice Secretary must get a grip on the crisis as a matter of urgency.
“It is Alex Chalk’s job to bring the justice system back to full strength and I look forward to working closely with him to fight for improved access to justice for all.”
Kirsty Brimelow, chair of the Criminal Bar Association, said her organisation wanted to work constructively with the new Justice Secretary.
“The new Secretary of State must grasp the urgency of following through the final part of the deal between the Ministry of Justice and the Criminal Bar Association. There remain insufficient barristers to prosecute and defend in trials before the courts.
“Medium and long-term reform must start if the criminal justice system is to be pulled out of crisis.”
Labour attacks Raab’s MoJ record
Labour’s shadow justice secretary has attacked Dominic Raab‘s record in office following his resignation from the Cabinet.
Steve Reed said: “Dominic Raab has finally resigned without a word of apology for leaving the criminal justice system in tatters.
“His legacy is the longest trial delays on record, barely one in a hundred reported rapists being prosecuted, criminals dodging jail because the prisons are full and the Probation Service failing to supervise dangerous offenders, leaving the public at risk.
“After 13 years of Conservative failure, only Labour has a serious plan to cut crime.
“We will increase the number of prosecutors to put dangerous criminals behind bars, introduce specialist rape courts to speed up justice for survivors and strengthen the use of community sentences to prevent reoffending.
“That’s how Labour will prevent crime, punish criminals and protect communities.”
Meet Sunak’s new deputy PM: Comprehensive kid known as ‘Olive’ who was compared to Tony Blair’s attack dog Alastair Campbell
Some in the Conservative party are calling it an “Olive branch”.
Rishi Sunak has sought to restore order after the resignation of his deputy prime minister in a bullying scandal by calling on one of his closest allies in politics.
Oliver Dowden - affectionately known as Olive to his Tory friends – is the prime minister’s new deputy, appointed just hours after Dominic Raab quit the cabinet.
Despite an early expertise in the attacking form of political communications that once led to comparisons with Alastair Campbell, Mr Dowden is known as one of the “nice guys” of politics. Regarded as a safe pair of hands, one of his jobs will include acting as a government spokesman when a crisis erupts.
Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell has more:
Meet Sunak’s new deputy PM ‘Olive’ - who was compared to Alastair Campbell
Oliver Dowden joined Tory HQ as expert in aggressive political ad campaigns for David Cameron
Lib Dem leader calls for by-election in Raab’s constituency
There should now be a by-election in former deputy prime minister Dominic Raab‘s Surrey constituency as he is “unfit” to be an MP, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has said.
Sir Ed was speaking as he knocked on doors in the Esher and Walton constituency, just hours after Mr Raab resigned from his top level post following a bullying investigation which upheld some allegations against him.
Sir Ed said: “Dominic Raab is not only unfit to be a minister but also a Member of Parliament.
“He should resign and trigger a by-election here in Esher and Walton so his constituents can get the MP they deserve.”
The Lib Dems describe the constituency as “a knife-edge marginal” which the Tories hold from them by 2,700 seats.
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