Senior officials at the Ministry of Justice were offered a “respite or an exit” from the department when Dominic Raab was re-elected last month, amid concerns that some were still traumatized by his behavior during a previous spell there.
Several sources told the Guardian that around 15 staff in the justice secretary’s private office were moved to a room where department heads acknowledged they might be concerned about their behavior and were given the option to change of paper
Some of the officials were said to have cried during the meeting and several subsequently decided to move to other positions in the department, with one thought to be considering leaving altogether, although sources suggested a couple of staff had back since then.
Antonia Romeo, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice, is also understood to have spoken to Raab when he returned to the department to warn him to treat staff with professionalism and respect amid unhappiness over his return. A source, who was not in the courtroom at the time, claimed he was “read the riot act”.
The Guardian has spoken to a number of MoJ sources who claimed that Raab, who first held the post between September 2021 and September 2022 when he was sacked by Liz Truss, had created a “culture of fear” in the department
They allege that his behavior when dealing with officials, including some senior officials, was “demeaning rather than demanding”, that he was “very rude and aggressive” and that “not only was he unprofessional, he was a stalker”.
The claims put the spotlight back on Rishi Sunak, who made Raab his deputy prime minister and justice secretary just over two weeks ago, with some Tory MPs already questioning the prime minister’s judgment over some of his appointments in the cabinet
In his first speech outside Number 10 last month, Sunak promised that his government, in contrast to that of his two immediate predecessors, would have “integrity, professionalism and accountability at all levels”. However, some Tory pundits thought their vote would be held hostage to fortune if any ministers were deemed to have failed to stay.
There has been a renewed focus on unprofessional behavior in Whitehall this week after the Guardian reported allegations that Gavin Williamson told a senior official to “cut your throat” and “jump out of a window” in what they believed was a sustained campaign of harassment. while he was secretary of defense. There is no suggestion that Raab made similarly extreme comments.
Williamson was forced to leave the cabinet for a third time after the former Whitehall aide lodged a formal complaint with parliament’s independent complaints and complaints service and former Tory deputy leader Anne Milton claimed she had also subjected the deputies to “unethical and immoral”. behavior”.
A former Ministry of Justice official, who worked in the department during Raab’s first time there, told the Guardian: “On more than one occasion I saw him exploit officials, sometimes very senior, in meetings. Although that he was demanding, which is not necessarily a bad thing, the way he spoke to people was uncomfortable to witness. He was very rude and aggressive.”
Another informant said: “His behavior was demeaning rather than demanding. You get into bullying territory because it’s systemic and sustained and creates a culture of fear in the department. But even if you somehow could to argue that what he is doing is not bullying, it is certainly not professional.”
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A third Ministry of Justice official added: “They will try to say he just pushes the department hard to get results. But he often belittled us and undermined us. It wasn’t just that he was unprofessional, he was a bully. The atmosphere when he came back was terrible”.
The Guardian also spoke to officials who defended Raab’s approach, but even they admitted his behavior could be interpreted by some colleagues as unprofessional, or even bullying. However, it is understood no formal complaints have been made.
A source close to the minister said: “Dominic is unapologetic about having high standards. He works hard, and expects a lot from his team and himself. He holds MoJ officials in very high regard and is always professional and clear with them “.
Raab’s re-election in October was criticized by opponents who claimed he had failed to resolve lawyers’ strikes and presided over growing court backlogs. He has already said his highly controversial plans for a British bill of rights, which were shelved by Truss, will be revived.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “There is zero tolerance for bullying across the public service. The Deputy Prime Minister leads a professional department, driving major reforms, where civil servants are valued and the level of ambition it’s tall.”