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| Who is Dominic Raab? | Who is Dominic Raab? |
| (17 days later) | |
| UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to deputise for him "where necessary," while he recovers from coronavirus. | |
| So who is Mr Raab? | |
| Less than three years ago, Dominic Raab wasn't even in the government. | Less than three years ago, Dominic Raab wasn't even in the government. |
| But now, as foreign secretary and first secretary of state, he is the de-facto second-in-command to Mr Johnson. | But now, as foreign secretary and first secretary of state, he is the de-facto second-in-command to Mr Johnson. |
| That means he can take over running the government for a while if needed. | |
| It's an opportunity Mr Raab, a 46-year-old former lawyer, would relish, under normal circumstances. | It's an opportunity Mr Raab, a 46-year-old former lawyer, would relish, under normal circumstances. |
| The staunch Brexiteer ran for the Conservative Party leadership last year but he was knocked out in the second round of voting by MPs. | The staunch Brexiteer ran for the Conservative Party leadership last year but he was knocked out in the second round of voting by MPs. |
| Prior to that he had run-ins with Mr Johnson's predecessor, Theresa May, quitting her cabinet after just over four months as Brexit secretary. | Prior to that he had run-ins with Mr Johnson's predecessor, Theresa May, quitting her cabinet after just over four months as Brexit secretary. |
| The sometimes outspoken Mr Raab has had a volatile time - going in and out of favour - since becoming Conservative MP for Esher and Walton, Surrey, in 2010. | The sometimes outspoken Mr Raab has had a volatile time - going in and out of favour - since becoming Conservative MP for Esher and Walton, Surrey, in 2010. |
| Who is Dominic Raab? | Who is Dominic Raab? |
| Date of birth: 25 February 1974 (age 46) | Date of birth: 25 February 1974 (age 46) |
| Job: Foreign secretary, Conservative MP for Esher and Walton | Job: Foreign secretary, Conservative MP for Esher and Walton |
| Education: Dr Challoner's Grammar School, Amersham, Oxford and Cambridge universities | Education: Dr Challoner's Grammar School, Amersham, Oxford and Cambridge universities |
| Family: Married to Erika Ray, a Brazilian marketing executive. Two sons | Family: Married to Erika Ray, a Brazilian marketing executive. Two sons |
| Before politics: Foreign Office lawyer. He was the lead on a team focusing on bringing war criminals to justice at The Hague | Before politics: Foreign Office lawyer. He was the lead on a team focusing on bringing war criminals to justice at The Hague |
| A married father of two, Mr Raab was born in 1974, the son of a Czech-born Jewish refugee who fled the Nazis in 1938. | A married father of two, Mr Raab was born in 1974, the son of a Czech-born Jewish refugee who fled the Nazis in 1938. |
| He was was brought up in Buckinghamshire and attended Dr Challoner's Grammar School in Amersham, before studying law at Oxford University and switching to Cambridge for his master's. | He was was brought up in Buckinghamshire and attended Dr Challoner's Grammar School in Amersham, before studying law at Oxford University and switching to Cambridge for his master's. |
| He worked as a lawyer in the commercial sector and the Foreign Office before entering politics in 2006 as an aide to Brexit-supporting Conservative MP David Davis, and then Remain-backing Dominic Grieve. | He worked as a lawyer in the commercial sector and the Foreign Office before entering politics in 2006 as an aide to Brexit-supporting Conservative MP David Davis, and then Remain-backing Dominic Grieve. |
| First elected to Parliament in 2010, the following year Mr Raab angered then-Home Secretary Theresa May by describing some feminists as "obnoxious bigots" in an online article also claiming men were getting "a raw deal". | First elected to Parliament in 2010, the following year Mr Raab angered then-Home Secretary Theresa May by describing some feminists as "obnoxious bigots" in an online article also claiming men were getting "a raw deal". |
| Mrs May accused him of fuelling "gender warfare". | Mrs May accused him of fuelling "gender warfare". |
| Mr Raab remained on the back benches for five years after becoming an MP. | Mr Raab remained on the back benches for five years after becoming an MP. |
| But the karate black-belt became a junior justice minister following David Cameron's general election victory in 2015. | But the karate black-belt became a junior justice minister following David Cameron's general election victory in 2015. |
| He played a prominent role in the successful Leave campaign in the 2016 EU referendum, but was sacked by Mrs May when she took over as prime minister. | He played a prominent role in the successful Leave campaign in the 2016 EU referendum, but was sacked by Mrs May when she took over as prime minister. |
| Cabinet role | Cabinet role |
| In 2017, Mr Raab was branded "offensive" by then-Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron after saying "the typical user of a food bank is not someone that's languishing in poverty; it's someone who has a cash flow problem". | In 2017, Mr Raab was branded "offensive" by then-Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron after saying "the typical user of a food bank is not someone that's languishing in poverty; it's someone who has a cash flow problem". |
| But in June that year he returned to government, as a justice minister, this time middle-ranking rather than junior. | But in June that year he returned to government, as a justice minister, this time middle-ranking rather than junior. |
| In Mrs May's January 2018 reshuffle he became housing minister - one of the highest-profile non-cabinet roles in government. | In Mrs May's January 2018 reshuffle he became housing minister - one of the highest-profile non-cabinet roles in government. |
| And in July that year, when Mr Davis quit, the prime minister promoted Mr Raab to Brexit secretary, a cabinet post. | And in July that year, when Mr Davis quit, the prime minister promoted Mr Raab to Brexit secretary, a cabinet post. |
| Yet his improved relationship with Mrs May did not last long. In November 2018, he quit, criticising her position on Brexit. | Yet his improved relationship with Mrs May did not last long. In November 2018, he quit, criticising her position on Brexit. |
| He argued that he could not "in good conscience" support the "backstop" arrangement designed to avoid a hard border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland. | He argued that he could not "in good conscience" support the "backstop" arrangement designed to avoid a hard border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland. |
| As an influential Brexiteer, his comments were seen as significant in increasing opposition to Mrs May's withdrawal agreement with the EU, which MPs repeatedly rejected. | As an influential Brexiteer, his comments were seen as significant in increasing opposition to Mrs May's withdrawal agreement with the EU, which MPs repeatedly rejected. |
| After Mrs May announced she was standing down last year, Mr Raab entered the contest to become Conservative leader, and prime minister. | After Mrs May announced she was standing down last year, Mr Raab entered the contest to become Conservative leader, and prime minister. |
| In a crowded field, he failed to get the 33 MPs' votes he needed to progress to the third round. Fellow Brexiteers Boris Johnson and Michael Gove outlasted him. | In a crowded field, he failed to get the 33 MPs' votes he needed to progress to the third round. Fellow Brexiteers Boris Johnson and Michael Gove outlasted him. |
| Mark Francois, one of the most strongly pro-Brexit of Tory MPs, said: "Whoever wins, and I hope it's Boris, I hope they find a good place for Dom in their cabinet, because I think he deserves it." | Mark Francois, one of the most strongly pro-Brexit of Tory MPs, said: "Whoever wins, and I hope it's Boris, I hope they find a good place for Dom in their cabinet, because I think he deserves it." |
| Mr Johnson, to whom Mr Raab gave his support after his elimination from the the race, did just that. On 24 July last year he became foreign secretary and first secretary of state - effectively deputy prime minister. | Mr Johnson, to whom Mr Raab gave his support after his elimination from the the race, did just that. On 24 July last year he became foreign secretary and first secretary of state - effectively deputy prime minister. |
| The new job gave him an international profile surpassed only by Mr Johnson's, in terms of the UK government. | The new job gave him an international profile surpassed only by Mr Johnson's, in terms of the UK government. |
| But he only narrowly managed to hold on to Esher and Walton at last December's general election, seeing off a strong Liberal Democrat challenged by 2,743 votes. | But he only narrowly managed to hold on to Esher and Walton at last December's general election, seeing off a strong Liberal Democrat challenged by 2,743 votes. |
| The overall Conservative landslide, however, on a promise to "get Brexit done", meant he saw his dream of leaving the EU come true on 31 January this year. | The overall Conservative landslide, however, on a promise to "get Brexit done", meant he saw his dream of leaving the EU come true on 31 January this year. |
| Since then coronavirus has taken over from Brexit as the UK government's number one priority, although tough negotiations on a trade deal with Brussels are continuing, via video link. | Since then coronavirus has taken over from Brexit as the UK government's number one priority, although tough negotiations on a trade deal with Brussels are continuing, via video link. |
| Now Mr Raab, as well as being first secretary of state, has effectively taken over running the country as Mr Johnson recovers from coronavirus. |