Raab Urgent Question: Lib Dems challenge PM to come clean over advice on bullying complaints

The Liberal Democrats have challenged Rishi Sunak to publish any official advice he received over the bullying allegations against Dominic Raab before appointing him as Deputy Prime Minister.

In an urgent question in Parliament this afternoon, the party’s chief whip Wendy Chamberlain also called on government ministers to condemn Raab’s attacks against the civil service.

Under the Ministerial Code, ministers are required to “be professional in their working relationships with the Civil Service and treat all those with whom they come into contact with consideration and respect.”

In response to the question, government minister Alex Burghart said “There were no formal allegations made against the right honourable member for Esher and Walton before the Prime Minister appointed him”. Number 10 has previously refused to confirm whether or not the PM was aware of informal concerns about Raab’s conduct.

Commenting after the debate, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain said:

“It’s time for Rishi Sunak to come clean over what he knew and when about the bullying complaints against Raab before appointing him as his deputy. Any official advice provided to the Prime Minister on the informal complaints about Raab’s conduct should be published immediately. If Sunak has nothing to hide he has nothing to fear.

“Conservative ministers must also finally come out and condemn Raab’s outrageous, victim-blaming attacks against the civil service. So far we’ve had a deafening silence from Sunak on this issue, who didn’t even criticise Raab in the letter he sent responding to his resignation.

“The UK is renowned around the world for the impartiality and professionalism of our civil service. Ministers should respect that instead of blaming civil servants for the damage done to the country by years of Conservative chaos.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

Background:

Urgent Question: to ask the Prime Minister to make a statement on the Register of Ministerial Interests and the Ministerial Code. 

On Wednesday 19 April, the Government published the overdue Register of Ministerial Interests. The register had not been updated since May 2022. However, the Register failed to include entries from Ministers who had served at some point from May 2022 but resigned or were sacked before April 2023 - e.g. Nadhim Zahawi. 

On Friday 21 April, the Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab resigned after an independent inquiry considered his conduct in line with provisions of Ministers set out under the Ministerial Code. Raab criticised civil servants who had made complaints against him.

On Saturday 22 April, the government’s adviser on the civil service Francis Maude set out ideas for reform of the civil service including greater scope for politicisation of civil servants. 

Importance: 

Compliance with the Ministerial Code, including by way of both behaviour requirements and registration of interests, is of significant importance to the conduct of government. 

In both the case of the resignation of the Deputy Prime Minister, and the manner in which the register of ministerial interests was released (with no entries for ministers who had resigned such as Nadhim Zahawi, meaning we do not know what his interests were during the period he served as Minister without Portfolio), there is a direct questions regarding compliance with the Ministerial Code. 

Further, Government Ministers have failed to condemn Dominic Raab’s conduct or his attacks on the civil service. The Ministerial Code is clear about the duty on Ministers to uphold the political impartiality of the Civil Service. Reforms to the civil service permitting politicisation would be hugely controversial and represent a total change in the nature of the UK’s civil service. The Government should be transparent about any potential plans to make such changes. 

Urgency: 

These events all took place within the last few days, with a significant level of public interest. Given the recency of the release of the report and Dominic Raab’s resignation, I hope that Members might have the opportunity to ask questions in the House as soon as possible.

Public policy implications:

There are outstanding questions for the Prime Minister to answer regarding these matters:

1. Will the Government publish register entries for Ministers who resigned or left office before April 2023? 

2. When will the Government update publication of the register so that it moves to 28 days, in line with the House of Commons Members’ Register of Interest? 

3. Does the Government accept the case that the Ministerial Register provides insufficient information in regards to some financial interests? 

4. In his view was Dominic Raab’s conduct in breach of the Civil Service Code?

5. Was the Prime Minister aware of informal complaints about Dominic Raab’s conduct when he appointed him as Deputy Prime Minister? 

6. Was the Prime Minister advised by officials not to appoint the Deputy Prime Minister?

7. Will Ministers reject Dominic Raab’s attacks on the civil service, in line with duties under the Ministerial Code? 

8. Will Ministers affirm that bullying civil servants is unacceptable?

9. Does the Government have plans for further civil service reform?

10. Does the Government agree that the political impartiality of the civil service is of great constitutional and practical importance, and will Ministers affirm that the civil service is impartial?