London: Members of Britain's Ruling Conservative, or Tory, party came out on Saturday in defence of Dominic Raab after the deputy prime minister was accused of being "rude" and "aggressive"towards civil servants.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is facing further questions about his judgment as allegations emerged about Raab's behaviour during his previous stint as justice secretary - with staff reportedly offered a"route out" of his department when he was reinstated in October.
Multiple sources have alleged the Cabinet minister created a "culture of fear" in the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), according to the Guardian.
But some Tories have come to his defence, with lawmaker Helen Grant saying she witnessed a "very decent" minister with "high professional standards" when the pair came into contact during Raab's tenure as foreign secretary.
Grant, who said she worked with Raab last year in her capacity as the special envoy for girls' global education, insisted Raab had "zero tolerance for bullying."
Fellow Conservative Eddie Hughes also said he had never seen Raab be rude to anyone during his time in the housing or Brexit departments.He tweeted: "When I got my first job as his PPS I was told Dom was demanding. 'He's very hard working and expects others to be too'.
"I was delighted. I wanted to work for someone who took their role seriously. We got on great from the start. Never saw him be rude to anyone at MHCLG [the Housing Ministry] or DExEU [Department for Exiting the European Union]."
Further allegations about Raab emerged late on Friday, with The Mirror reporting the justice secretary has acquired the nickname "The Incinerator" because he "burns through" staff.
The Sun, meanwhile, suggested Raab had once hurled tomatoes from a salad across a room in a fit of anger - an allegation branded "rotten" by shadow minister David Lammy.
A spokesperson for the Cabinet minister said the salad claim was"nonsense."
One source alleged the Cabinet Office had been informed of concerns about Raab's behaviour when he was Brexit secretary, according to ITV News.
But the department said it had "no record of any formal complaints."
Insiders insisted the justice secretary does not engage in bullying of any kind, acknowledging he is "direct," but adding he rates his team highly.
They rebutted any suggestion he does not behave in a professional manner, adding they do not recognise the 'Incinerator' nickname or the idea there has been a high turnover of staff working with him.
The allegations could prove troublesome for Sunak, whose choice of Cabinet colleagues has already been called into question.
The prime minister came under fire for reappointing Gavin Williamson to his senior team, despite being told Williamson was under investigation for allegedly bullying former chief whip Wendy Morton.
Sunak also faced criticism for reinstating Suella Braverman as home secretary just six days after she was forced to quit after a security breach.
The Guardian reported that around 15 staff from the justice secretary's private office were called to a meeting when he returnedto his post, where it was acknowledged they may be worried about his conduct.
They were said to have been given the option to move roles, with some reported to be visibly emotional.
Antonia Romeo, the most senior civil servant in the ministry, is also said to have spoken to Raab on his return to warn him of the need to treat staff professionally and with respect.
The Guardian said it had spoken to officials who defended Raab's approach, but acknowledged it could be read as unprofessional or even bullying.
It is understood no formal complaints have been made against him.
The opposition Labour party described the accusations as "deeply troubling," arguing they raise "yet more questions" about Sunak's judgment.
A spokesperson for Raab said: "Dominic has high standards, works hard, and expects a lot from his team as well as himself.
"He has worked well with officials to drive the government's agenda across Whitehall in multiple government departments and always acts with the utmost professionalism."
A ministry spokesperson said: "There is zero tolerance for bullying across the civil service.
"The deputy prime minister leads a professional department, driving forward major reforms, where civil servants are valued and the level of ambition is high."
Raab was removed as justice secretary, a role he had filled since September 2021, by Liz Truss when she entered No 10, but he was reinstated by Sunak. — dpa
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