- By Becky Morton & Ione Wells
- BBC Politics
Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
A report on claims of bullying versus Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has actually been handed to the prime minister, who will now choose his fate.
No 10 said Rishi Sunak was thinking about the findings prior to choosing whether he broke ministerial guidelines.
He might pick to sack Mr Raab, among his closest allies, or choose that he has actually not breached the guidelines.
Mr Raab, who is likewise justice secretary, rejects bullying staff and says he constantly “acted expertly”.
He is dealing with 8 protests about his behaviour as a minister.
Senior legal representative Adam Tolley KC was selected by the prime minister to examine the claims in November.
After he has actually seen the report, it will be for Mr Sunak to choose whether Mr Raab has actually broken ministerial guidelines and should be sacked or resign.
There are discussions occurring in federal government circles about what will occur next if the justice secretary leaves his position.
If he resigns, or is sacked, that would activate a reshuffle of Mr Sunak’s cabinet.
Some senior figures in federal government are bracing for the report to be damning, and feel he may have no option however to go.
However, the ultimate choice lies with the prime minister and a last judgement has actually not been made yet.
No indication has actually been given about when the prime minister might publish the findings.
Asked whether Mr Sunak had full confidence in Mr Raab, his spokesman said he did but was “carefully considering the findings of the report before coming to a judgement”.
The complaints against Mr Raab, involving at least 24 people, related to his previous periods as justice secretary and foreign secretary under Boris Johnson and his time as Brexit secretary under Theresa May.
The MP for Esher and Walton was sacked as justice secretary and deputy prime minister when Mr Johnson was succeeded by Liz Truss.
However, he was reappointed to the two roles when Mr Sunak entered Downing Street in October.
The prime minister has actually been under pressure to explain what he knew about the allegations prior to reappointing Mr Raab to the cabinet.
He has actually repeatedly declined to say whether he had informal warnings about Mr Raab’s behaviour prior to bringing him back into federal government.
