Economic stability ‘at heart of government agenda’, Rishi Sunak says
Dominic Raab is now taking the lead at Prime Minister’s Questions after revealing two official bullying complaints have been filed against him.
The deputy prime minister is standing in for Rishi Sunak, who is still away at the G20 summit in Indonesia.
PMQs comes as just hours after Mr Raab asked the PM to request an independent investigation into complaints.
The deputy prime minister has been facing allegations of bullying, including claims he lost his temper at work, threw food across the room and left civil servants afraid to enter his office.
Mr Sunak has so far stood by his deputy – previously emphasising that no formal complaints had been made against him.
But on Wednesday morning Mr Raab wrote to Mr Sunak to say he had just been notified two formal complaints had been made against him.
He said he looked forward to addressing them and would continue to serve as deputy prime minister, justice secretary and lord chancellor in the meantime.
‘This is anti-bullying week,’ Rayner says
Angela Rayner is quizzing Dominic Raab about the formal complaints about his conduct.
“This is anti-bullying week. Will he apologise?” she says.
“I am confident I behaved professionally throughout,” he said, adding he asked for an investigation.
He said he looked forward to transparently addressing complaints made.
Zoe Tidman16 November 2022 12:09
Raab ‘confident’ he has behaved professionally
Dominic Raab has been asked whether a minister who has a bullying complaint upheld against him should remain in government.
The deputy PM says he is “confident” he has behaved professionally throughout.
He said he will comply with the investigation fully.
Zoe Tidman16 November 2022 12:03
Dominic Raab takes PMQs
Dominic Raab is standing in for Rishi Sunak in what promises to be an interesting PMQs.
The deputy PM revealed just hours ago formal complaints had been made against him.
Watch with The Independent’s livestream:
Zoe Tidman16 November 2022 12:01
MoJ complaint ‘first raised by officials in spring’
Dominic Raab has said that two complaints have been made against him – one from his previous stint at the Ministry of Justice and the other from his time as foreign secretary.
According to The Guardian’s politics editor Pippa Crerar the MoJ complaint was “first made by [a] group of mid-ranking policy officials in Spring but has been revived by individuals in light of recent allegations.”
Insiders said the department’s permanent secretary “acted on” the complaint at the time by speaking to Mr Raab, Ms Crerar adds.
Matt Mathers16 November 2022 11:23
Sunak: ‘Right’ that complaints are investigated
Rishi Sunak has accepted a request from Dominic Raab to be independently investigated after the justice secretary confirmed two complaints had been made against him amid claims that he bullied staff.
The prime minister thanked his deputy for his letter, saying “I know you will be keen to address the complaints made against you”.
(PA Wire)
Mr Sunak added he agreed that “proceeding in this way is the right course of action.”
“Integrity, professionalism and accountability are core values of this Government,” he went on. “It is right that these matters are investigated fully”.
Matt Mathers16 November 2022 11:09
10 million in ‘missing middle’ face bills crisis without support – think tank
Over 10 million people will be left facing financial crisis over energy bills if Treasury support for bills is restricted to people in the benefits and pension system, new research from a cross-party think-tank reveals today.
The Social Market Foundation calculated that 4.5 million households who face spending more than 10 per cent of their income (after housing costs) on energy bills will miss out on help if government support is limited to homes where people get benefits or the state pension from April.
Meanwhile, another 5 million homes – a significant proportion of them pensioner households – would get government payments even though their energy bills will be less than that 10 per cent threshold.
Matt Mathers16 November 2022 11:05
Rishi Sunak denies Brexit to blame for UK’s economic woes
The prime minister instead pointed the finger of blame at the Covid pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
While admitting that all countries have “idiosyncratic” factors affecting their growth, Sunak was unwilling at a press conference in Indonesia to concede that Brexit played this part in adding to the UK’s economic woes.
Our politics editor Andrew Woodcock has more below:
Matt Mathers16 November 2022 10:50
Raab: I look forward to addressing complaints and continuing in government
As we’ve been reporting, Dominic Raab has confirmed that two complaints have been submitted against him amid claims that he has bullied staff.
The deputy PM and justice secretary said he “looks forward to addressing these complaints, and continuing to serve you (Rishi Sunak) as Deputy Prime Minister, Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor”.
You can read his letter in full here:
Matt Mathers16 November 2022 10:27
Breaking: Two official bullying complaints filed against deputy prime minister
Two official bullying complaints have been filed against Dominic Raab over his behaviour at work, he has confirmed.
Our policy correspondent Jon Stone reports:
Matt Mathers16 November 2022 10:15
Savers to be squeezed in Hunt’s mini-Budget
Savers are set to be squeezed in tomorrow’s mini-Budget as chancellor Jeremy Hunt seeks to repair the public finances.
Tax-free allowances for ISAs and other saving products will be frozen when Mr Hunt outlines his plans to MPs in the Commons tomorrow, the Daily Mail reports.
(PA)
The news came as inflation soared to 11.1 per cent last month – higher than experts had been expecting.
In a statement after the figures were published the chancellor said “tough but necessary decisions on tax and spending to help balance the
Matt Mathers16 November 2022 10:15
Kaynak: briturkish.com
