Dominic Raab’s ex-private secretaries to lodge formal complaints

Deputy PM Dominic Raab is facing caller bullying complaints from elder civilian servants crossed aggregate authorities departments, BBC Newsnight has learned.

A fig of Mr Raab's erstwhile backstage secretaries - elder officials who enactment astir intimately with ministers connected a regular ground - are preparing to taxable ceremonial complaints, sources told the BBC.

Mr Raab requested an probe into his ain behaviour towards unit successful the aftermath of 2 earlier complaints.

He denies immoderate allegations of bullying.

Mr Raab, who is besides the justness secretary, maintains helium has ever acted with integrity and professionalism.

There is present a coordinated effort by erstwhile backstage secretaries of Mr Raab to guarantee their allegations are heard arsenic portion of the investigation.

Private secretaries enactment successful the backstage bureau of authorities ministers connected the day-to-day moving of the department, including managing the minister's diary and advising connected argumentation matters.

Meanwhile, Newsnight has besides been told that Mr Raab utilized his idiosyncratic email relationship for authorities concern astatine 2 abstracted departments - erstwhile arsenic precocious arsenic 2021.

Officials issued aggregate warnings to the lawman premier curate not to usage his email successful this way, a root said.

Mr Raab, however, believes that the mode helium has utilized backstage email does not magnitude to a breach of the ministerial code, which allows for it to beryllium done successful immoderate circumstances.

A person of Mr Raab said helium had utilized it connected occasions to o.k. tweets and quotes related to authorities business.

Suella Braverman resigned arsenic location caput past period successful portion aft admitting a breach of the ministerial codification involving usage of her backstage email to stock authorities documents.

Ms Braverman, who has since been reappointed to the role, said this should not beryllium done "where it was not reasonably necessary".

Dave Penman, main enforcement of the FDA national which represents elder civilian servants, said: "This is an bonzer acceptable of circumstances. We've ne'er travel crossed a concern wherever truthful galore civilian servants look to beryllium raising complaints astir a minister's conduct.

"So if they are superior allegations astir his conduct, that the premier curate has seen, helium has to marque a determination - is it harmless fundamentally for civilian servants to proceed to enactment with him? That's what immoderate leader would do."

The authorities has appointed Adam Tolley KC to analyse 2 ceremonial complaints made astir Mr Raab's conduct.

Downing Street said a study would beryllium published "in a timely way".

Any last judgement connected whether Mr Raab was successful breach of the ministerial codification volition stay with Mr Sunak.

Mr Raab has said helium volition "thoroughly rebut and refute immoderate claims made".