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UK: Dominic Raab faces fresh calls to be suspended

PM Rishi Sunak has refused to suspend or sack his deputy

Dominic-Raab-UK-lockdown-COVID19-reuters UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab | Reuters

UK Deputy PM Dominic Raab is facing fresh calls to be suspended from his post. The reports come after civil servants working with Raab complained about Raab's bullying and abusive behaviour. Three civil servants who were interviewed by the Guardian called for Raab's removal. 

Despite several allegations against Raab, PM Rishi Sunak has refused to suspend or sack his deputy. Raab, who is also the current secretary of justice has denied allegations of bullying. 

According to a Guardian report, former Foreign Office permanent secretary Simon McDonald is understood to have spoken to the inquiry including Antonia Romeo, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice, and Philip Rycroft.

Dave Penman, the general secretary of the FDA union, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "If that was any other employee if that was a permanent secretary in the civil service, they would in all likelihood be suspended from their job while that investigation took place." 

Senior lawyer Adam Tolley KC has been investigating the matter since November. Sunak said he will wait for the outcome of the investigation by Tolley before taking action. 

As per a BBC report, one person who worked with Raab said he was "very hard on junior staff" and "extremely difficult to work with". While, a former civil servant said, "He was very professional to me." He described Raab as "incredibly hard-working" and "very demanding".

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