Dominic Raab latest: MP decries ‘Kafkaesque saga’ in 1,100-word essay; PM reacts to resignation; bullying report now published

The 47-page report into Dominic Raab’s behaviour when in government has now been published, detailing the five-month investigation into eight accusations of bullying.

It comes shortly after Mr Raab confirmed he was resigning as deputy prime minister and justice secretary – and published a damning 1,100 essay in The Telegraph.

Here, Sky News rounds up the key findings of the lengthy report…

Raab acted in ‘intimidating’ fashion – with ‘persistently aggressive conduct’

The probe, undertaken by Adam Tolley KC, found that Mr Raab acted in an “intimidating” fashion with “unreasonably and persistently aggressive conduct” in a work meeting while he was foreign secretary.

Mr Tolley wrote that Raab’s conduct “involved an abuse or misuse of power in a way that undermines or humiliates.

“In particular, he went beyond what was reasonably necessary in order to give effect to his decision and introduced a punitive element.”

The lawyer said that Mr Raab “must have been aware of this effect”, or “reasonably” should have been. This relates to one of two upheld complaints of bullying made against the ex-minister.

He went beyond what was necessary in providing ‘critical feedback’

The second upheld complaint related to Mr Raab’s time in the Ministry of Justice.

It found that, on a number of occasions, at meetings with policy officials, he “acted in a manner which was intimidating, in the sense of going further than was necessary or appropriate in delivering critical feedback”.

This was also described as “insulting” in the sense of “making unconstructive critical comments about the quality of work done.”

Mr Tolley goes on to outline specific examples – including one in which Mr Raab described work done as “utterly useless” and “woeful”.

Raab’s use of ‘physical gestures’ – and banging on tables

In another paragraph, Mr Tolley says he heard a “good deal of evidence” about Mr Raab’s “use of physical gestures in communication”. In one case, he said: “This was put as extending his hand directly out towards another person’s face with a view to making them stop talking. 

“Another example of such an allegation was loud banging of the table to make a point.”

However, the report stated: “I was not convinced that the DPM used physical gestures in a threatening way, although those unused to this style of communication might well have found it disconcerting.”

An abuse or misuse of power – in a way that humiliates

In his conclusions, Mr Tolley again referred to Mr Raab’s time as foreign secretary. He said that, with his “management choice”, Mr Raab “acted in a way that was intimidating, in the sense of unreasonably and persistently aggressive conduct in the context of a work meeting”.

Mr Tolley adds that this involved “an abuse or misuse of power in a way that undermines or humiliates”. He says it was “inevitable” that Mr Raab’s behaviour was perceived in this way by the affected person.

Raab cleared of swearing and shouting at staff

On another note, the former deputy prime minister was cleared of shouting and swearing at staff – as had been suggested.

Mr Tolley wrote in his report: “There was no persuasive evidence that the DPM shouted at individuals. I also conclude that he did not swear at any individual or swear more generally.”