…By Lola Smith for TDPel Media.
Rishi Sunak has defended his praise of former Justice Secretary Dominic Raab, who resigned from his post after an investigation found that he had acted in an intimidating and aggressive manner towards officials, which could have amounted to bullying.
In a letter to Raab, following his resignation, Sunak had praised the Tory MP’s “achievements” while in office.
Speaking on Jeremy Vine’s BBC Radio 2 programme ahead of the local elections, Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggested that he could still “respect” Raab’s record despite the probe’s outcome.
Johnson highlighted Raab’s leadership when he stepped in for Johnson, who was ill with COVID-19, and acted in a “collegiate way” at that time.
Johnson also pointed out Raab’s achievements while he was justice secretary, including making a difference to the number of prisoners who ended up in work after leaving prison, as well as implementing plans to target criminals who harm women and girls.
Sunak defended his praise for Raab, stating that he can “absolutely respect his record” and that Raab resigned after the independent report found he had acted inappropriately.
P: Sunak and Johnson’s remarks about Raab’s resignation and record demonstrate that they are willing to overlook allegations of bullying in favour of his past accomplishments.
Despite the findings of the investigation, Johnson suggested that he could still respect Raab’s achievements, particularly during the time when he was acting prime minister when Johnson was ill.
Similarly, Sunak commended Raab’s record, stating that he could respect it.
Their remarks have drawn criticism for potentially downplaying the significance of the investigation’s findings, and may raise questions about the government’s stance on bullying and harassment in the workplace.