Rishi stands by top aide in fresh row over Raab ‘bullying’

RISHI Sunak was last night standing by the country’s top civil servant despite his apparent failure to tell the Prime Minister about complaints against Dominic Raab.

A No 10 spokesman insisted Mr Sunak was not aware of any ‘formal complaint’ about Mr Raab before appointing him as Justice Secretary.

But he did not deny a report that Cabinet Secretary Simon Case had been personally informed of a written complaint against Mr Raab months before being welcomed into the current Cabinet.

The Times reported that an inquiry into Mr Raab’s behaviour towards officials has been told that he had to be spoken to about it last spring, when Boris Johnson was prime minister, and that Mr Case was informed.

‘He has full confidence’

Mr Sunak has always maintained that he was not aware of any ‘formal complaint’ against Mr Raab before bringing him back into government.

Mr Raab denies bullying and the PM insists he ordered an inquiry as soon as he was ‘made aware of formal complaints’.

But officials are understood to have told Adam Tolley, the KC leading an inquiry into Mr Raab’s conduct, that they thought No 10 was aware of a written complaint last summer.

Asked if Mr Sunak was confident he is getting solid advice from the Cabinet Secretary, the No 10 spokesman said: ‘Yes. The Prime Minister has full confidence in Simon Case.’

Dozens of civil servants are understood to have submitted written statements in support of Mr Raab’s accusers.