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As it happenedended

Rishi Sunak - live: Dominic Raab ‘bullied’ Gina Miller during ‘aggressive’ encounter

Campainger says incident took place at the BBC in 2016

Emily Atkinson,Matt Mathers
Friday 03 February 2023 08:26 EST
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Rishi Sunak ‘comfortable’ with Dominic Raab keeping job despite bullying allegations

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Prominent Remain campaigner Gina Miller has claimed that embattled deputy prime minister Dominic Raab bullied and demeaned her during an “aggressive” encounter in 2016.

Mr Raab, the justice secretary, is already facing a string of bullying allegations spanning different government departments throughout the past few years, all of which he denies.

In an exclusive article for The Independent, Ms Miller said she was “bullied and demeaned” by Mr Raab after he called her “stupid” and “naive” when they met at the BBC during the referendum campaign.

Mr Raab said they are “baseless and malicious claims”.

Elsewhere, prime minister Rishi Sunak has admitted his first 100 days in No 10 have been “challenging” while being interrogated by broadcasting heavyweight Piers Morgan.

The TalkTV host grilled Mr Sunak on a range of issues, from mounting Tory sleaze claims and the winter crisis in the NHS, to growing unrest in the public sector and deepening cost of living fears.

Sunak: I’d love to give nurses a pay rise – but we can’t right now

Rishi Sunak has said he would love to give nurses a “massive” pay rise – but insisted the money needs to be prioritised on other areas.

NHS staff were subjected to a pay freeze during Covid, he said, but said: “I would love to give nurses a massive pay rise - who wouldn’t? It would make my life easier.”

In an interview on his first 100 days in office, he said: “It’s about choices.” A record sum was going into the NHS but more doctors and nurses and equipment were needed, he said.

Jane Dalton reports:

Sunak: I’d love to give nurses a pay rise - but we can’t right now

Prime minister tells Piers Morgan he is proud of what he has done in first 100 days in office

Emily Atkinson2 February 2023 21:25

Gina Miller ‘I was bullied and demeaned by Dominic Raab'

In an article written for The Independent, Remain campaigner Gina Miller claims Dominic Raab launched an “abusive attack” on her – calling her “stupid” and “naive” during an “aggressive” encounter at the BBC in 2016.

I thought we would have a robust but reasonable conversation about the merits of the case. How wrong I was, she writes.

I was bullied and demeaned by Dominic Raab | Gina Miller

I thought we would have a robust but reasonable conversation. How wrong I was

Emily Atkinson2 February 2023 21:40

Watch: Rishi Sunak claims he 'would love' to give nurses 'massive pay rise'

Rishi Sunak claims he 'would love' to give nurses 'massive pay rise'
Emily Atkinson2 February 2023 21:55

Thanks for following our live updates, we are pausing our coverage for the night but you can check out the key takeaways from Rishi Sunak’s interview below:

The 5 key takeaways from Rishi Sunak’s interview with Piers Morgan

Rishi Sunak chatted about a range of topics, including the war in Ukraine, industrial action and nurses’ pay

Katy Clifton2 February 2023 22:17

Dominic Raab faces claim he ‘bullied and demeaned’ leading anti-Brexit campaigner

Dominic Raab is facing fresh allegations of bullying amid claims that he launched an “abusive attack” on a prominent anti-Brexit activist.

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

Her claims, written in an article for The Independent, are the first on-the-record accusations of abuse against Mr Raab, who faces an official inquiry into allegations that he bullied civil servants.

Our Whitehall and politics editor Kate Devlin reports:

Dominic Raab faces claims he ‘bullied and demeaned’ leading anti-Brexit campaigner

The deputy prime minister said the claims are ‘baseless and malicious’

Matt Mathers3 February 2023 07:32

The 5 key takeaways from Rishi Sunak’s interview with Piers Morgan

You might have seen that Rishi Sunak was grilled by Piers Morgan last night on his first 100 days as prime minister.

The pair discussed Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, strikes and the NHS among other topics.

Didn’t get to watch it? My colleague Joe Sommerlad has taken a look at some of the main takeaways from the interview:

The 5 key takeaways from Rishi Sunak’s interview with Piers Morgan

Rishi Sunak chatted about a range of topics, including the war in Ukraine, industrial action and nurses’ pay

Matt Mathers3 February 2023 07:57

Truss to urge tougher China stance in Tokyo

Former British prime minister Liz Truss will join the former leaders of Australia and Belgium at a conference in Tokyo later this month to call for a tougher international approach to China.

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, an international group of lawmakers concerned about how democratic countries approach Beijing, said Friday that Truss will speak alongside former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison at the 17 Feb event in the Japanese Diet.

Former Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt, who is also a European Parliament lawmaker, will attend as well.

Sylvia Hui reports:

Ex-UK leader Truss to urge tougher China stance in Tokyo

Former British Prime Minister Liz Truss will join the former leaders of Australia and Belgium at a conference in Tokyo later this month to call for a tougher international approach to China

Matt Mathers3 February 2023 08:21

Oil and gas giants ‘laughing all the way to the bank'

Oil and gas giants are “laughing all the way to the bank,” a shadow minister has said as he called for the government to tighten a “loophole” in its windfall tax.

Stephen Kinnock, the shadow minister for immigration, made the comments after Shell announced record annual record profits of $39.9bn (£32.2bn) in 2022, which he described as the “windfalls of war.”

More comments below:

Matt Mathers3 February 2023 08:49

Boris Johnson is a ‘coward’ for not coming on my show - Fox News host Tucker Carlson

Fox News host Tucker Carlson has accused Boris Johnson of being a “coward” after the former prime minister turned down an invite to appear on his show.

Mr Johnson visited the US earlier in the week and spoke at the Atlantic Council. He also visited the US Congress and met with Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate minority leader.

My colleague Sravasti Dasgupta reports:

Tucker Carlson calls Boris Johnson a ‘coward’ after ex-British PM scorned GOP

‘We watched during Covid as he transitioned into a terrified old woman’

Matt Mathers3 February 2023 09:24

Suspend Raab until bullying probe is complete - Labour

Dominic Raab should be suspended until the investigation into bullying claims against him has concluded, Labour has said.

Stephen Kinnock, the shadow minister for immigration, called on prime minister Rishi Sunak to temporarily remove his deputy and justice minister to “protect” civil servants working in his department.

He said Mr Raab could then be reinstated to his posts if the probe, being conducted by barrister Adam Tolley KC, clears the deputy PM of wrongdoing.

The justice secretary is facing multiple allegations of bullying across different government departments in recent years, all of which he denies.

Matt Mathers3 February 2023 09:41

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