Raab ‘confident’ he behaved ‘professionally’ as he faces questions over conduct

Dominic Raab has said he is ‘confident’ he has behaved ‘professionally’, as the deputy prime minister faces an investigation into two formal complaints against him.The Justice Secretary confirmed on Wednesday that two separate complaints had been made about his conduct, as the Prime Minister agreed to open an independent investigation into the allegations.Standing in at Prime Minister’s Questions for Rishi Sunak, who is flying back from the G20 summit in Bali, Mr Raab faced an onslaught of questions from Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner as he said he was looking forward to ‘transparently addressing any claims that have been made’.Mr Raab has been facing a series of allegations he bullied officials and deployed rude and demeaning behaviour in previous Cabinet roles.In his response on Wednesday, Mr Sunak told the Justice Secretary that ‘integrity, professionalism and accountability are core values of this Government’ and said that an investigation was the ‘right course of action’.Mr Raab came under pressure over his conduct, as Ms Rayner told the Commons: ‘After days of dodging and denial, this morning the Deputy Prime Minister finally acknowledged formal complaints about his misconduct, but his letter contains no hint of admission or apology.’This is anti-bullying week. Will he apologise?’Mr Raab said: ‘She asks about the complaints, I received notification this morning, I immediately asked the Prime Minister to set up an independent inquiry into them.’I’m confident I behaved professionally throughout but of course I will engage thoroughly and look forward to transparently addressing any claims that have been made.’Mr Sunak, who is in Indonesia at the G20 summit, continues to stand by Mr Raab but agreed to Mr Raab’s proposal to hold an independent investigation.The Prime Minister will appoint an ‘independent’ investigator to carry out the fact-finding exercise in the absence of a permanent ministerial ethics watchdog.But a Downing Street spokeswoman said Mr Sunak will not be obliged to accept the findings of any report produced by the investigator as the Prime Minister remains the ‘ultimate arbiter’ of the ministerial code.Labour also rounded on the new prime minister in the Commons, with Ms Rayner telling MPs that Mr Raab ‘has had to demand an investigation into himself, because the prime minister is too weak to get a grip’.’The deputy prime minister knows his behaviour is unacceptable, so what is he still doing here?’In his letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Raab said: ‘I have just been notified that two separate complaints have formally been made against me, in parallel, from my time as foreign secretary and my first tenure as justice secretary, which ended in September of this year. I have never tolerated bullying, and always sought to reinforce and empower the teams of civil servants working in my respective departments’I am, therefore, writing to request that you commission an independent investigation into the claims as soon as possible. I will co-operate fully and respect whatever outcome you decide.’The Conservative MP for Esher and Walton told Mr Sunak he had ‘never tolerated bullying, and always sought to reinforce and empower the teams of civil servants working in my respective departments’.Top Ministry of Justice officials had reportedly ruled there must be a senior civil servant in the room at all meetings involving Mr Raab due to the recent allegations, according to The Guardian on Wednesday.The newspaper also reported that Philip Rycroft, the former permanent secretary to the Department for Exiting the European Union, raised concerns about Mr Raab’s behaviour during his time as Brexit secretary with the then-cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill.Mr Raab was also reportedly warned about his behaviour towards officials while he was foreign secretary.The concerns were raised with Mr Raab by Lord Simon McDonald, who was the senior civil servant at the Foreign Office, and the mandarin also informally discussed the situation with the Cabinet Office’s propriety and ethics team, The Guardian reported.The Deputy Prime Minister, in his letter to Mr Sunak, said he had been ‘blessed to work with a wide range of outstanding civil servants, in particular my brilliant and dedicated private offices’.’I have always welcomed the mutual challenge that comes with serious policy-making and public service delivery.’I have always sought to set high standards and forge teams that can deliver for the British people amidst the acute challenges that we have faced in recent years.’I have never tolerated bullying, and always sought to reinforce and empower the teams of civil servants working in my respective departments.’In a radio interview on Monday, Lord McDonald had acknowledged that allegations Mr Raab could be a bully were plausible.Asked by LBC radio if characterisation of Mr Raab as someone who could bully and around whom bullying could happen, he replied: ‘Yes.’Lord McDonald added: ‘Dominic Raab is one of the most driven people I ever worked for, he was a tough boss.’Maybe they are euphemisms, but I worked closely with him and I didn’t see everything that happened.’It is the latest blow to the new prime minister’s administration, after he faced criticism for appointing Sir Gavin Williamson to his senior team despite being told he was under investigation for allegedly bullying a colleague, claims that caused Sir Gavin to quit.