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Dominic Raab “behaved like a monster at times”, a former senior civil servant has claimed in the latest allegation of bullying against the deputy prime minister.
Speaking anonymously to BBC Newsnight programme, the ex-employee said that Mr Raab shouted at staff and used “demeaning tactics to make himself the most powerful person in the room”.
The justice secretary’s former colleague, who has not made a formal complaint against him, told the programme: “I think he behaved like a monster at times.”
The latest claim comes after Remain campaigner, Gina Miller, said she was “bullied and demeaned” by Mr Raab after he called her “stupid” and “naive” during an “aggressive” encounter at the BBC in 2016.
Her claims, written in an article for The Independent, are the first on-the-record accusations of abuse against Mr Raab, who faces an official inquiry into allegations that he bullied civil servants.
Describing Mr Raab’s behaviour to Newsnight, the former civil servant said: “I saw him seething at other senior people, hard staring at you, you know like cold fury.”
“It was pretty sinister – and raising his voice. He would make examples of very senior members of staff in front of more junior members and vice versa.”
When asked by the BBC interviewer as to whether Mr Raab was simply being direct and assertive while doing an important job, the interviewee rejected the idea.
“No, it’s bullying. I mean, the worst thing is the sort of, the cold anger and making people wait in silence,” they said.
“Expecting people to turn up very, very quickly without knowing really why they’re there. Treating his private office with contempt and doing so publicly.”
“There were long silences, which if you tried to continue speaking he would tell you to wait or stop talking.”
A spokesperson for Mr Raab declined to comment on the latest allegations but the deputy prime minister has previously vehemently denied all allegations.
Rishi Sunak has appointed Adam Tolley KC to look at claims of bullying against Mr Raab, involving up to 24 civil servants. The prime minister has come under increasing pressure to explain if he knew of allegations against Mr Raab before he appointed him to the cabinet, with No 10 so far only ruling out that Mr Sunak was aware of “formal complaints”.
The deputy PM on Tuesday survived a mini cabinet reshuffle, despite growing pressure for him to stand down until the investigation has concluded.
The complaints span several years, a number of different government departments, and involve dozens of people according to the FDA trade union, which represents civil servants.
