Dominic Raab pays own legal fees for bullying probe

Deputy PM Dominic Raab is paying his ain ineligible fees, during an probe into allegations helium bullied officials.

The declaration comes contempt taxpayers footing the measure for Boris Johnson's lawyers successful the Partygate inquiry, which truthful acold runs to £220,000.

Downing Street is facing questions astir wherefore Mr Johnson is not paying his ain ineligible bills, similar Mr Raab.

Rishi Sunak's spokesperson said Mr Johnson was being investigated implicit authorities concern erstwhile helium was a minister.

He argued that this was antithetic to Mr Raab's lawsuit and meant that Mr Johnson was entitled to authorities enactment nether an "established process".

The PM's spokesperson denied some men were being investigated implicit their behaviour and were truthful taxable to the aforesaid rules.

Mr Johnson - whose ineligible squad is headed by apical barrister Lord Pannick KC - is facing claims helium deliberately lied to Parliament implicit Covid-rule breaking successful Downing Street erstwhile helium was premier minister.

The Commons Privileges Committee is presently deciding whether helium is blameworthy of a contempt of Parliament. Mr Johnson was past period grilled for astir 4 hours by the committee, with a lawyer astatine his side.

Mr Raab is nether probe implicit 8 ceremonial complaints astir his behaviour arsenic overseas secretary, Brexit caput and during his archetypal stint arsenic justness secretary.

The bullying probe is being carried retired by lawyer Adam Tolley KC, who was appointed by Mr Sunak successful November.

Mr Tolley's study is expected to onshore connected the premier minister's table shortly. He volition past determine - based connected the grounds successful it - whether Mr Raab has breached the ministerial codification and indispensable beryllium sacked.

News that Mr Raab had paid for his ain ineligible proposal was included successful a much-delayed update to the registry of ministerial interests, published by the authorities successful the aftermath of contention implicit Mr Sunak's fiscal transparency.

Mr Raab's introduction successful the registry reads: "The curate has engaged lawyers astatine his ain disbursal successful narration to the probe being conducted by Adam Tolley KC."

The BBC is trying to found wherefore Mr Raab is declaring the outgo successful the registry of ministerial interests and erstwhile helium archetypal engaged ineligible representation.