No 10 won’t say if Rishi Sunak was aware of informal complaints against Raab

Rishi Sunak’s press secretary has failed to deny that Rishi Sunak was aware of informal complaints about his deputy prime minister’s behaviour when he placed him in the cabinet.

Asked multiple times, she repeatedly said: “He was not aware of formal complaints when he made the appointment”.

She also made clear Dominic Raab will not be suspended while an investigation into allegations he bullied staff is underway.

Earlier Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused Mr Sunak of being “too weak” to act over the claims.

Sir Keir asked the prime minister how he would feel if his friend or relative was currently working for the Justice Secretary.

He also tackled Mr Sunak over what he knew and when about the allegations.

Referring to sacked Tory Party chairman Nadhim Zahawi, Sir Keir told the Commons: “So in relation to his former chair, his defence is: nobody told me, I didn’t know, I didn’t ask any questions. Is the Prime Minister now also going to claim that he’s the only person completely unaware of serious allegations of bullying against the Deputy Prime Minister before he appointed him?”