London Daily

Focus on the big picture.

Dominic Raab's exit must not lower standards, says deputy PM

Dominic Raab's exit must not lower standards, says deputy PM

Dominic Raab's replacement as deputy PM has insisted that ministers must be able to demand the "highest standards" from civil servants.

Oliver Dowden said Mr Raab's exit after a bullying inquiry should not stop ministers holding officials to account.

But he distanced himself from claims from Mr Raab that civil servants were frustrating the work of government.

And he admitted the process for dealing with complaints needed to be "fairer".

Mr Raab stood down on Friday after a report written by lawyer Adam Tolley KC found he was "intimidating" and "aggressive" towards officials.

However, he hit out at the report's findings, saying they set "a very dangerous precedent" and would have a "chilling effect" on how minsters work.

He also claimed there was a risk "a very small minority" of officials "with a passive aggressive culture" were trying to block reforms they did not like.

Asked about Mr Raab's comments on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Mr Dowden said ministers had all "experienced frustrations" during their time working with officials in government.

But he told the show: "It has not been my experience working with civil servants that we can't work together in a constructive way. I haven't experienced that."

He added: "What I would not want to become the outcome of this is there is some kind of diminution in the ability of ministers to expect the highest standards".

He also said that the government wanted to look at the process for how officials can raise complaints about the behaviour or ministers, saying there was a need to make it "simpler, fairer and less complex".


'Robust culture'


Meanwhile, a Tory peer who is leading a government review of how the civil service operates has called for a more "robust culture" in Whitehall.

Writing in the Observer, Lord Francis Maude, a former Cabinet Office minister, raised the prospect of civil servants being able to have more open political affiliations.

He said ministers have limited authority to put in place officials of their choice despite relying on them and being accountable for what they do.

He suggested that ministers could be given more say about appointments while preserving impartiality.

"The UK is now an outlier, and a better balance needs to be struck," he said, adding that without change, "there will be more cases like Raab's when frustrations boil over".

He said that other governments with similar systems, such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada, "manage it better than us".

"In France, permanent civil servants often have overt political affiliations, and it causes few problems," he added.

Lord Maude said that without change there would be more cases like that of Mr Raab


Mr Tolley's inquiry looked at eight formal complaints about Mr Raab's behaviour during his previous stints as justice secretary, foreign secretary and Brexit secretary.

His report concluded Mr Raab's conduct involved "an abuse or misuse of power", and that he "acted in a manner which was intimidating" and "persistently aggressive" towards officials.

The FDA union, which represents civil servants, dismissed Mr Raab's comments that some officials were frustrating the work of government, accused him of peddling "dangerous conspiracy theories that undermine the impartiality and integrity of the civil service".

On Sunday the Liberal Democrats, who have already called on Mr Raab to step down as an MP, said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak should suspend him as a Conservative MP.

Newsletter

Related Articles

London Daily
0:00
0:00
Close
UK Maintains Non-negotiable Stance on Falklands and Gibraltar
Controversy Surrounds A75 Road Closures and 96-Mile Diversion
Crunch Time in Conservative Leadership Race
Keir Starmer's Challenges in the Wake of Sue Gray's Departure
Coroner Urges UK Government to Improve Severe ME Care
Starmer Calls for De-escalation in Middle East Amid Heightened Tensions
Chancellor Reeves Decides Against Pension Tax Hike
UK Advocates Urge Tobacco Windfall Tax and Permanent Levy
Starmer's Chief of Staff Plans Major Overhaul at Downing Street
Key Labour Thinktank Advocates New Powers for Mayors
Rachel Reeves Considers New Fiscal Rules for Infrastructure Spending
Great Britain Faces Lowest Winter Blackout Risk in Four Years
The Impact of Online Culture on Young Women: Survey Insights
Hypersonic Jet to Revolutionize Air Travel
Russian Medic Arrested for Alleged Satanism and Promoting LGBTQ Rights
UK: Chagos Islands Deal Was About Securing US Military Base
RT has converted key archive speeches delivered by Putin into spoken English using the help of AI
Walmart is now selling a new book titled The Achievements of Kamala Harris—and all the pages are blank.
Bill Gates: "6% of global emissions are cows... You can either fix the cows to stop them farting, or you can make beef without the cow."
Facilitated Communication: Miracle Tool or Manipulative Method?
The Allure of Browsing Online Property Portals: A Modern Obsession
Suspected Acid Attacker in London Bailed Amid Investigation
Tragic Channel Crossing: Four Migrants Killed
Labour Cabinet Ministers' Stances on Assisted Dying
The Influence of Tory Members on Party Leadership
UK Plans Major Overhaul of Employment Rights
UK Food Industry Lobbying Delays £1.7 Billion Plastic Packaging Tax
New UK Tipping Law Sparks Confusion Among Restaurant Staff
Debate Heats Up Over Assisted Dying Legislation in the UK
New Personalized Cancer Therapies Undergo Extensive Clinical Study
UAE Energy Minister: OPEC+ Doing a 'Noble' Job in Balancing Oil Market
Call for Wealth Tax Hikes to Curb Reform UK's Rise
Labour MP Supports Chancellor's Rejection of Wealth Tax
Debate Intensifies Over VAT Introduction for UK Private Schools
Israel Plans Retaliation Against Iran Amid Rising Regional Tensions
Norwegian Police Conclude 'Spy Whale' Hvaldimir's Death Due to Infection
Dominica Sells Citizenship to Boost Climate Resilience
Greta Thunberg Detained in Brussels During Protest Against Fossil Fuel Subsidies
UK Returns Chagos Islands to Mauritius After Decades-Long Dispute
UK Reaffirms Commitment to Overseas Territories Amid Falkland Islands Dispute
France's Silent March Supports Gisèle Pelicot: A Shocking Case
Robert Jenrick's Leadership Prospects: Challenges from the Right
Declining Interest in Grammar Schools Amid VAT Concerns
Emirates Bans Pagers and Walkie-Talkies on All Flights
Malaysian Father Burns Son's Motorbike to Prevent Racing Accidents
Donald Trump Urges Israel to Hit Iran's Nuclear Facilities First
Private Schools Face Enrollment Decline Due to Impending VAT on Fees
Wetherspoon’s CEO Criticizes Smaller Beer Glass Proposal and Licensing Hour Reduction
Starmer Defends UK Chagos Islands Decision Amidst Tory Criticism
Naomi Campbell Banned from Charity Work After Fashion for Relief Mismanagement
×