Connect with us

Published

on

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab is facing a third formal bullying complaint – this time relating to his role as Brexit secretary.

It means he is now being formally investigated over three complaints in three different government departments – piling pressure on Rishi Sunak who has resisted calls to sack him.

Mr Raab was already facing formal complaints relating to previous roles as the justice secretary and foreign secretary.

Politics live: Truss and Johnson join forces in headache for PM

It follows a string of bullying allegations that have emerged since the senior Tory was drafted back into Mr Sunak’s cabinet as deputy PM and Secretary of State for Justice – roles he held under Boris Johnson before being sacked by Liz Truss.

Mr Raab denies all allegations of bullying made against him, but last week asked the PM to launch an inquiry into his own conduct.

The scope of this investigation has now been expanded to cover a third complaint relating to Mr Raab’s time as Brexit secretary from July to November 2018, when Theresa May was prime minister, Downing Street said on Friday.

More on Dominic Raab

“I can confirm that the prime minister has now asked the investigator to add a further formal complaint relating to conduct at the Department for Exiting the European Union and to establish the facts in line with the existing terms of reference,” the PM’s spokeswoman said.

The complaint was received on 23 November, she added, confirming that Mr Sunak retains confidence in Mr Raab.

Responding to the latest allegations, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain MP said: “Another day, another bullying complaint against Dominic Raab. It seems that at almost every department he’s served in, Raab has treated his staff with contempt.

“This flood of allegations about Dominic Raab’s bullying behaviour cannot be swept under the carpet. Rishi Sunak must confirm he will sack Raab if these complaints are upheld.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Raab challenged over bullying allegations

Raab ‘behaved professionally at all times’

Last night, Mr Raab insisted he has “behaved professionally at all times” as he faced fresh allegations of bullying and intimidating behaviour.

Yesterday a number of the deputy PM’s former private secretaries told the BBC they were preparing to submit formal complaints about his behaviour.

Newsnight was also told that Mr Raab used his personal email account for government business at two separate departments – once as recently as 2021.

But Mr Raab said: “I have always adhered to the ministerial code, including the use of my iPhone.”

The government has appointed senior lawyer Adam Tolley KC to “establish the specific facts” about the formal complaints.

The lawyer will report to the prime minister, who will make the final judgement on whether his conduct breached the ministerial code.

Read More:
Several ministers in Rishi Sunak’s government ‘have bullied civil servants’

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Bullying claims ‘open secret’

Downing Street has rejected suggestions the investigation would be a whitewash, despite Mr Sunak’s ability to reject its findings.

“It’s a long-standing convention that the prime minister of the day is the arbiter of the (ministerial) code and the final decision-maker on these sorts of issues,” the prime minister’s official spokesman said yesterday.

“The investigator looking into this is highly experienced and has a suitable background, and is being given access to whatever they need to conduct a thorough and swift investigation.”

Mr Raab is a close ally of Mr Sunak.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner has called for the scope of the investigation to be expanded to include expressions of concern and informal complaints.

“There must be no hint of a whitewash when it comes to the slew of serious allegations the deputy prime minister now faces,” she said.

Continue Reading

UK

Protesters throw powder on Tower Bridge during London Marathon

Published

on

By

Protesters throw powder on Tower Bridge during London Marathon

Two pro-Palestinian demonstrators have thrown red powder on Tower Bridge – just moments before leading runners in the London Marathon went past.

The protesters were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and remain in custody, said the Metropolitan Police.

A video shared by Youth Demand, which is calling for a trade embargo on Israel, shows two people jumping over a barrier that separates spectators from the race course.

The pair, wearing t-shirts that say “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel”, are then seen standing in the middle of the road on the bridge.

Pic: LNP
Image:
Pic: LNP

They throw red powder in the air as an official marathon car goes past displaying the race time.

A motorbike with a cameraman on board continues along the route, while a second motorbike stops and one of the riders gets off and pushes the pair out of the way, just before the men’s elite runners pass.

Several police officers then jump over the barrier and detain the pair, the footage shows.

More on London Marathon 2025

There appeared to be no impact on the marathon.

More than 56,000 participants were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile race through the capital.

Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s elite race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.

Assefa beat the previous best of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.

Read more:
Sky’s Beth Rigby running marathon in honour of ‘dearest friend’
Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform

Pic: LNP
Image:
Pic: LNP

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “At around 10.38am, two protesters from Youth Demand jumped over barriers at Tower Bridge and threw red paint on to the road.

“Marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters from the path of the men’s elite race which was able to pass unobstructed.”

The force added that they were “quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance”.

The Met said the paint “appeared to be chalk-based” and was not expected to “present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point”.

Continue Reading

UK

Kemi Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform after next week’s council elections

Published

on

By

Kemi Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform after next week's council elections

Kemi Badenoch has not ruled out forming coalitions at a local level with Reform after the council elections next week.

Speaking to Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, the Conservative leader did however categorically rule out a pact with Nigel Farage’s party on a national level.

“I am not going into any coalition with Nigel Farage… read my lips,” she said.

However, she did not deny that deals could be struck with Reform at a local level, arguing that some councils might be under no overall control and in that case, “you have to do what is right for your local area”.

“You look at the moment, we are in coalition with Liberal Democrats, with independents,” she said. “We’ve been in coalition with Labour before at local government level.

“They [councillors] have to look at who the people are that they’re going into coalition with and see how they can deliver for local people.”

She added: “What I don’t want to hear is talks of stitch-ups or people planning things before the results are out. They have to do what is right for their communities.”

More on Electoral Dysfunction

A total of 23 councils are up for grabs when voters go to the polls on Thursday 1 May – mostly in places that were once deemed Tory shires, until last year’s general election.

It includes 14 county councils, all but two of which have been Conservative-controlled, as well as eight unitary authorities, all but one of which are Tory.

Ms Badenoch has set expectations low for the Tories, suggesting they could lose all the councils they are contesting.

The last time this set of councils were up for election was in 2021, when the Conservative Party was led by Boris Johnson who was riding high from the COVID vaccine bounce.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

Continue Reading

UK

Counter-terrorism police investigating after two women injured in Leeds

Published

on

By

Counter-terrorism police investigating after two women injured in Leeds

Counter-terrorism police are investigating after an incident involving a crossbow and a firearm left two women injured in Leeds.

Police were called to Otley Road at 2.47pm on Saturday to reports of a “serious incident involving a man seen with weapons”, West Yorkshire Police said.

Officers arrived at the scene to find two women injured – and a 38-year-old man with a self-inflicted injury. All three were taken to hospital, with the man held under arrest, but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

“Two weapons have been recovered from the scene, which were a crossbow and a firearm,” Counter Terrorism Policing North East said in a statement.

The incident happened on the ‘Otley Run’ pub crawl, with one venue saying it was closed for the evening due to “unforeseen circumstances”.

Officers guard one of the crime scenes in Leeds
Image:
Officers guard one of the crime scenes

Officers inside the cordon in Leeds
Image:
Officers inside the cordon in Leeds

Counter Terrorism Policing’s statement added: “Due to the circumstances surrounding the incident, Counter Terrorism Policing North East have taken responsibility for leading the investigation with the support of West Yorkshire Police.

“Extensive enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances and explore any potential motivation.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described it as a “serious violent incident” and said she was being kept updated by police.

“Thank you to the police and emergency services for their swift response,” she said. “My thoughts are with the victims and all those affected by this attack.”

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

Continue Reading

Trending