Dominic Raab says ‘setting excessive requirements’ not identical as bullying as he sidesteps resignation query – UK politics stay | Politics

Dave Penman, the chief of the FDA union, which represents senior civil servants, advised the As we speak programme this morning that Dominic Raab, the justice secretary and deputy PM, shouldn’t be commenting on the inquiry into the bully allegations about him. He stated:

What we’d like is for this inquiry to conclude as rapidly as potential and for the protagonist in it, who has been reminded about confidentiality, to cease giving feedback to the general public.

This demonstrates ably the problem of why the prime minister ought to have suspended Dominic Raab as a result of, whereas these allegations are hanging over him, he’s nonetheless serving as a minister, there are nonetheless considerations about somebody who conducts themselves probably in that means nonetheless being in command of civil servants.

Requested if it was proper for somebody to be prevented from being a minister simply because they have been “troublesome” to work with, Penman identified that bullying was in opposition to the ministerial code. And he stated:

What you need to keep in mind right here is bullies aren’t good managers.

Bullies are ineffective. What you find yourself with is sweet folks leaving – it’s not truly a approach to get folks to work.

Right here is my colleague Safi Bugel’s story about Labour holding West Lancashire within the byelection yesterday.

It was a protected Labour seat, and there was no lifelike prospect of the celebration shedding, which is why it didn’t obtain a lot consideration.

Listed below are the total outcomes, from PA Media.

Ashley Dalton (Labour) 14,068 (62.30%, +10.16%)

Mike Prendergast (Conservative) 5,742 (25.43%, -10.88%)

Jonathan Kay (Reform UK) 997 (4.42%)

Jo Barton (Liberal Democrat) 918 (4.07%, -0.80%)

Peter Cranie (Inexperienced) 646 (2.86%, +0.49%)

Howling Laud Hope (Official Monster Raving Loony Occasion) 210 (0.93%)

Labour majority 8,326 (36.87%)

10.52% swing Conservative to Labour

Citizens 72,218;

Turnout 22,581 (31.27%, -40.53%)

2019: Lab maj 8,336 (15.83%) – Turnout 52,663 (71.80%)
Cooper (Lab) 27,458 (52.14%); Gilmore (C) 19,122 (36.31%); Thomson
(LD) 2,560 (4.86%); Stanton (Brexit) 2,275 (4.32%); Puddifer (Inexperienced)
1,248 (2.37%)

The important thing determine right here is the ten.5% swing to Labour. That is very wholesome, and positively ok to supply a good majority for Keir Starmer’s celebration at a normal election. However it’s not as large because the swing to Labour recommended by polling. In 2019, the Tories bought 44.7% of the GB vote, and Labour 33%. The newest Politico poll of polls has Labour on 48% and the Tories on 26% – implying a swing of 16.8%.

That is the third byelection in a row that has seen Labour maintain a protected seat. Within the Metropolis of Chester byelection in December final yr, Labour gained with a swing of 13.5% from the Conservatives. And within the Stretford and Urmston byelection (additionally in December final yr) Labour gained with a ten% swing from the Tories.

Good morning. Dominic Raab, the justice secretary and deputy prime minister, has repeatedly denied the a number of allegations – now the topic of an inquiry – that he has bullied officers within the three authorities departments that he has led, however typically he has issued denials by way of a spokesperson. Now, although, he has gone on the report himself, with two denials that set out his case with a bit extra readability.

Earlier this week, Newsnight broadcast a report primarily based on an interview with an unnamed former senior civil servant who had labored with Raab. The official, who has not submitted a proper criticism, described Raab as “nasty and difficult” and gave examples of why his conduct may very well be seen as “bullying”.

Raab has responded to that. In an interview with the BBC, he stated:

I’m not going to touch upon nameless reviews within the media – my expertise is that they’re largely incorrect. I’m assured I’ve behaved professionally always.

“Behaved professionally” is the road that Raab’s spokesperson has used since these allegations first surfaced, however this reply means that Raab believes folks might low cost allegations made anonymously.

Raab has additionally given an interview to the Day by day Telegraph (primarily to debate drug policy in prisons) and that was extra revealing. Requested if he was assured that he would nonetheless be in publish in the summertime, Raab didn’t give a agency sure. As an alternative he replied:

I’m assured I’ve behaved professionally always. And I’ll interact with the inquiry, and naturally I might not need to say something that prejudiced it.

Raab was then requested if he was extra sturdy than, say, Margaret Thatcher. He replied:

I feel it’s troublesome to check totally different eras. However I feel requirements of professionalism, whether or not they’re within the enterprise sector, the voluntary sector or the general public sector, ought to contain setting excessive requirements and 0 bullying, and people two issues are completely reconcilable.

(That was an odd query. Thatcher was famously sturdy with colleagues, and fairly intimidating if they didn’t know their temporary, however nobody ever accused her of bullying officers.)

In his response, Raab appears to be accepting that he was demanding. However he’s saying that setting excessive requirements is just not the identical as bullying.

Dave Penman, the chief of the FDA union that represents senior civil servants, has been commenting on Raab’s interview. I’ll publish what he stated shortly, and every other response.

The Commons is in recess, and there may be not a lot within the diary for in the present day. However I shall be masking response to final night time’s byelection, and reporting a number of the political response to the expansion figures, though the primary protection of that’s on our enterprise stay weblog.

I’ll attempt to monitor the feedback under the road (BTL) however it’s unimaginable to learn all of them. In case you have a direct query, do embody “Andrew” in it someplace and I’m extra prone to discover it. I do attempt to reply questions, and if they’re of normal curiosity I’ll publish the query and reply above the road (ATL), though I can’t promise to do that for everybody.

If you wish to entice my consideration rapidly, it’s most likely higher to make use of Twitter. I’m on @AndrewSparrow.

Alternatively, you possibly can e mail me at andrew.sparrow@theguardian.com