Dominic Raab resigns as UK deputy PM over bullying complaints

British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab resigned from the government on Friday following an independent investigation into complaints that he bullied colleagues, the latest scandal to force out one of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's top ministers, Report informs via Reuters.

The loss of the third senior minister over their personal conduct in the last six months will damage Sunak's efforts to revive the governing Conservative Party's fortunes and is a major embarrassment as he had entered Downing Street in October promising a government of integrity.

Raab resigned in a letter to the prime minister before the report was made public, and his departure is a setback for Sunak just two weeks ahead of English local council elections where his Conservatives are predicted to fare badly.

"I called for the inquiry and undertook to resign if it made any finding of bullying whatsoever," Raab's letter said. "I believe it is important to keep my word."

Sunak said in a letter in reply that he accepted Raab's resignation with deep sadness but said it was important that ministers uphold the highest of standards.

As deputy prime minister, Raab had no formal powers but stepped in for the prime minister if he was away from parliament or incapacitated. However he was a close political ally of Sunak and helped launch his campaign to be prime minister last summer.

The resignation will do little to improve the public perception of his government following the scandal-ridden tenure of Boris Johnson and the chaotic economic policies that brought down Liz Truss after less than two months.

The five month investigation into Raab's behaviour heard evidence from multiple government officials about complaints of bullying at three different departments.

The independent report by lawyer Adam Tolley found that Raab had acted in a way that was "intimidating" and "persistently aggressive" while at the Foreign Office.

It said while at the Justice Ministry he had gone "further than was necessary or appropriate in delivering critical feedback and also insulting, in the sense of making unconstructive critical comments about the quality of work done".

"(Raab) has been able to regulate this level of ‘abrasiveness’ since the announcement of the investigation," Tolley wrote. "He should have altered his approach earlier."