Dominic Raab RESIGNS after bombshell bullying report as Sunak confirms replacement

The Prime Minister delayed publishing the long-awaited report as Number 10 stressed Sunak was “carefully considering” its findings.

In his letter of resignation, Raab criticised the inquiry as "flawed", claiming: "In setting the threshold for bullying so low, this inquiry has set a dangerous precedent."

He also accused some civil servants of "systematic leaking of skewed and fabricated claims" as he alleged a senior official initiated a "coercive removal" of some of his private secretaries last year.

However, the former Foreign Secretary said he felt “duty bound to accept the outcome of the inquiry” and apologised for any "unintended stress or offence".

Raab pointed out his resignation does not at all change his support for Sunak.

He wrote: "You have proved a great Prime Minister in very challenging times, and you can count on my support from the backbenches."

Alex Chalk has been appointed as the new Justice Secretary and Oliver Dowden will take on the role of Deputy Prime Minister, Downing Street has confirmed.

Allegations of bullying surfaced about Raab in November after former staff claimed the 49-year-old created a “culture of fear”.

Raab rejected the allegations and requested an investigation into himself after two formal complaints were brought forward.

The inquiry upheld two claims levelled against Raab.

The probe was investigating eight formal complaints of bullying against the Tory MP as Justice Secretary and Foreign Secretary under Boris Johnson and Brexit Secretary under Theresa May.

The report on the inquiry by senior lawyer Adam Tolley KC has not yet been published by the Government.

Raab is now the third minister to have left Sunak's Cabinet since the former Chancellor succeeded Liz Truss last autumn.

Ex-Tory Party chairman Nadhim Zahawi was sacked in January and former Cabinet Office Minister Sir Gavin Williamson quit last November.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer slammed Sunak over his handling of the Raab report.

Speaking during a visit to Middlesbrough this morning, the Leader of the Opposition said: "What I think this shows is the continual weakness of the Prime Minister because there is a double weakness here.

"He should never have appointed him in the first place, along with other members of the Cabinet that shouldn't have been appointed, and then he didn't sack him.

"Even today it is Raab who resigns rather than the Prime Minister who acts."

Sir Keir added: "In the end, after 13 years, it just demonstrates that no matter how many times you change the person at the top, you have essentially got a party that just can't deliver, just can't govern."

The Liberal Democrats responded to Raab’s resignation by calling for a by-election in his leafy Surrey seat.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “Dominic Raab has shown he is not only unfit to serve as a Minister but is totally unfit to represent his constituents in Parliament.

“He should resign as an MP and trigger a by-election so the people of Esher & Walton can finally have the MP they deserve.”

In a wider pitch to voters across the Tory Party’s traditional shire heartlands, the St Albans MP added: “Voters across Surrey and the Blue Wall are fed up with this endless Conservative chaos and MPs who take their communities for granted.

“At the next election in Esher & Walton, it will be a two-horse race between more Conservative Party chaos or a hardworking Liberal Democrat MP who will listen and stand up for local people.”

Sir Ed Davey’s party might hope to emulate recent victories in Blue Wall by-elections in Chesham & Amersham, North Shropshire and Tiverton & Honiton.

Raab was first elected as the MP for Esher & Walton in 2010 but his 23,298-vote majority was whittled down to just 2,743 in 2019.