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Official investigation into Dominic Raab could look at allegations he ‘bullied’ anti-Brexit activist

Kate Devlin
Friday 03 February 2023 11:30 EST
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Nish Kumar says Raab confused him for Gina Miller's brother

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The official investigation into Dominic Raab’s behaviour could look at allegations he launched an “abusive attack” on a prominent anti-Brexit activist.

Senior Conservative and former cabinet minister David Davis said “no doubt” the probe, ordered by Rishi Sunak, would look into the claims.

And Labour called on the prime minister to assure the public that “every potential breach of the Ministerial Code” would be investigated.Downing Street said it was up to the inqury to decide it it would investigate Mr Miller’s allegations.

Mr Sunak has appointed Adam Tolley KC to look at claims of bullying against Mr Raab, involving up to 24 civil servants

“It is obviously a matter for him what he decides… he is an independent investigator,” No 10 said.

Ms Miller said she was “bullied and demeaned” by the deputy prime minister after he called her “stupid” and “naive” during an “aggressive” 2016 encounter at the BBC

In an article for the Independent, she writes: “He was aggressive and intimidating, and I was bullied and demeaned. This was an aggressive male expressing seemingly misogynistic behaviour. This sort of behaviour is not acceptable from anyone, especially not from a powerful, influential politician.”

She also claimed that her brother was forced to challenge the deputy prime minister after he appeared to confuse him with the comedian Nish Kumar. Her brother had to ask him: “Do you think I’m Nish Kumar? We’re not all the same, you know?”

She also writes that the Justice Secretary “shouted” at a young BBC employee “go get me a f***ing car”.

A source close to Mr Raab described the allegations as “baseless and malicious claims”.

Angela Rayner, Labour's deputy leader, said: "Given this torrent of new allegations, the Prime Minister should now update the Terms of Reference he said for the Tolley inquiry, and assure the public that every potential breach of the Ministerial Code is being investigated independently and in full. “She added: “With every new revelation, it gets harder for Number 10 to justify refusing to answer basic questions about what Rishi Sunak knew when, and it gets clearer that he is just too weak to deliver the professionalism and integrity he promised."

Of the latest allegations, Mr Davis said: “No doubt the KC (Tolley) will look into that as well and test the truth or otherwise”.

But he rejected the idea that Mr Raab should stand aside pending the outcome of the probe, as the leader of the union representing senior civil servants has suggested.

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