Dominic Raab claims ‘bullying’ confidentiality clause he signed is ‘standard’

Jump to contentSign up to our newslettersSubscribeNewsSportsVoicesCultureLifestyleTravelPremiumDominic Raab has said a confidentiality agreement he and a former colleague signed over a historic claim of bullying was “standard” practice.The deputy prime minister was quizzed over the episode, which dates from before he became an MP, in the Commons on Wednesday. It comes as he faces new and separate accusations of bullying while working in government as both foreign secretary and justice secretary. On Wednesday Labour MP Bambos Charalambous asked the deputy prime minister whether he could “tell the house if he has ever entered into a nondisclosure agreement connected to a complaint against him” – prompting gasps from other MPs.Mr Raab replied: “He’s referring to an employment dispute that was settled before I entered the house. It wasn’t an NDA, but it did involve a confidentiality clause, which was standard at the time.”The Tory MP had previously been asked about the episode in 2019, when he stood in the contest to lead the Conservative party.The agreement had come under scrutiny because the woman who also signed the clause said it made it impossible for her to reply to claims made by Mr Raab and his political allies about the alleged bullying incident.Tory MP Maria Miller had told the BBC at the time that the claims were ‘vexatious’, but the other party to the agreement was unable to contest this in public.At the time Mr Raab told the BuzzFeed News website that he was ‘subject to a claim of bullying’ dating to 2007, three years before he became an MP.”I vigorously denied the claims, which were independently investigated and found to be unsubstantiated,’ he said.Lesley Sutcliffe shelters from the rain next to a life-sized replica of the innermost coffin of King Tutankhamun by artist Amanda Stoner as it goes on display inside a traditional red telephone box which has been converted into a museum, in Barnsley, South YorkshirePAMembers of the hospitality sector demonstrate outside parliament in London. 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Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3.Manchester City FC/GettyProtesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don’t Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the dayAFP/GettyBritish Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her government’s mini-budgetGettyThe Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i’r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 yearsPACriminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the GovernmentPADavid White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III ‘CIIIR’, after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central LondonAFP/GettyA gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud – Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 – on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition – Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in LondonPA’My employer decided to settle the case on confidential terms (as is common in employment disputes), to avoid the distraction of defending it before a tribunal. “I signed the compromise agreement, although in practice I had no choice over the decision, and I did not pay anything towards the settlement.”The scrutiny of the confidentiality clause comes as two formal complaints are filed against Mr Raab for alleged behaviour while holding Cabinet roles.The Tory is accused of losing his temper and throwing food across the room, while a top civil servant has said officials were too scared to enter the minister’s office. Mr Raab says he has acted professionally at all times and has called for Rishi Sunak to set up an independent inquiry into the claims.Registration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalismBy registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalistsAlready have an account? sign inRegistration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalismBy registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalistsAlready have an account? sign inDominic RaabBullyingDeputy Prime MinisterPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in