Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been accused of delaying a judgment regarding Dominic Raab’s future.
It was widely anticipated that a lawyer-led investigation into Mr. Raab’s alleged intimidation would be published today.
However, it is now clear that this will not occur, prompting opposition parties to accuse the Prime Minister of “dithering.”
Mr. Sunak must decide if his close friend Mr. Raab breached ministry regulations and should be fired or resigned.
No. 10 said the inquiry’s conclusions would be released “as soon as possible” to the prime minister at 11:30 BST.
Senior figures were also informed that a decision would be made on the day the report was received.
Mr. Raab has read the entire report but has not spoken with the prime minister.
Mr. Raab, who is also the secretary of justice, denies harassing staff and claims he has always “conducted himself professionally.” As a minister, he is confronting eight formal complaints regarding his conduct.
In November, the prime minister appointed senior attorney Adam Tolley KC to investigate the allegations. Mr. Sunak will determine whether Mr. Raab has violated ministerial regulations and what action to take.
An individual who advised Mr. Raab in a senior capacity in one department told the BBC, “This delay only heightens the anxiety of those who were courageous enough to come forward and speak out, especially those who have had to continue working with Raab at the Ministry of Justice.”
“The Prime Minister’s evasion makes it more likely that the entire affair. Which has caused Raab’s subordinates five months of agony, will end in a whitewash.”
Emily Thornberry, the shadow attorney general, urged Mr. Sunak to “stop dithering and delaying” regarding Mr. Raab’s fate.
She added, “If he is a bully, he should be removed, and the prime minister should be able to read the report, make a decision, and move on.”
‘Farce’
In addition, the Liberal Democrats accused Mr. Sunak of “dilatory behavior.”
Wendy Chamberlain, the party’s chief whip, stated, “It seems like almost every week there is a sleaze and scandal issue in which Rishi Sunak is either implicated in himself or too weak to deal with it.
And Dave Penman, the head of the FDA union representing senior civil servants, stated that the system was a “complete farce” because those who filed complaints had to wait an additional day.
He stated, “No one knows what will happen now, there are no regulations associated with any investigation, and anyone who files a complaint has no rights.
People must simply watch television to learn the outcome of any very severe bullying allegations they may have made.
Sir Alex Allan, who investigated bullying allegations against former Home Secretary Priti Patel, told the BBC Newscast that the delay suggests the report’s findings may not be “completely clear cut.”
“Otherwise, he [the prime minister] would have come out with a decision one way or the other,” he added.
The former ethics adviser also stated that it was not “very satisfactory” for the prime minister to determine whether or not Mr. Raab had violated rules, rather than the author of the report or the No. 10 ethics adviser.
Ultimate decision
In government circles, there are discussions regarding what will occur if the justice secretary departs his position.
If he resigns or is dismissed, Mr. Sunak’s cabinet will be reshuffled.
Some senior government officials anticipate the report will be damning and believe he may have no option but to resign.
However, the prime minister has the final say, and a conclusion has not yet been reached.
At least twenty-four individuals filed complaints against Mr. Raab during his tenures as justice secretary and foreign secretary under Boris Johnson and as Brexit secretary under Theresa May.
The Member of Parliament for Esher and Walton was dismissed from his positions as justice secretary and deputy prime minister when Liz Truss succeeded Boris Johnson as prime minister.
However, he was reappointed to the two positions in October, when Mr. Sunak entered Downing Street.
The prime minister was pressured to reveal his knowledge of the charges before reappointing Mr. Raab to the cabinet.
He has repeatedly declined to disclose whether he received informal warnings about Mr. Raab’s behavior before rehiring him.
