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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Dominic Raab's exit must not lower standards, says deputy PM | Dominic Raab's exit must not lower standards, says deputy PM |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Dominic Raab's replacement as deputy PM has insisted that ministers must be able to demand the "highest standards" from civil servants. | Dominic Raab's replacement as deputy PM has insisted that ministers must be able to demand the "highest standards" from civil servants. |
| Oliver Dowden said Mr Raab's exit after a bullying inquiry should not stop ministers holding officials to account. | Oliver Dowden said Mr Raab's exit after a bullying inquiry should not stop ministers holding officials to account. |
| But he distanced himself from claims from Mr Raab that civil servants were frustrating the work of government. | But he distanced himself from claims from Mr Raab that civil servants were frustrating the work of government. |
| And he admitted the process for dealing with complaints needed to be "fairer". | And he admitted the process for dealing with complaints needed to be "fairer". |
| Mr Raab stood down on Friday after a report written by lawyer Adam Tolley KC found he was "intimidating" and "aggressive" towards officials. | Mr Raab stood down on Friday after a report written by lawyer Adam Tolley KC found he was "intimidating" and "aggressive" towards officials. |
| However, he hit out at the report's findings, saying they set "a very dangerous precedent" and would have a "chilling effect" on how minsters work. | However, he hit out at the report's findings, saying they set "a very dangerous precedent" and would have a "chilling effect" on how minsters work. |
| He also claimed there was a risk "a very small minority" of officials "with a passive aggressive culture" were trying to block reforms they did not like. | He also claimed there was a risk "a very small minority" of officials "with a passive aggressive culture" were trying to block reforms they did not like. |
| Raab dismissed my behaviour warnings - ex-colleague | Raab dismissed my behaviour warnings - ex-colleague |
| Dominic Raab bullying report's key findings | Dominic Raab bullying report's key findings |
| Losing Dominic Raab was a bad day for Rishi Sunak | Losing Dominic Raab was a bad day for Rishi Sunak |
| Asked about Mr Raab's comments on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Mr Dowden said ministers had all "experienced frustrations" during their time working with officials in government. | Asked about Mr Raab's comments on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Mr Dowden said ministers had all "experienced frustrations" during their time working with officials in government. |
| But he told the show: "It has not been my experience working with civil servants that we can't work together in a constructive way. I haven't experienced that." | But he told the show: "It has not been my experience working with civil servants that we can't work together in a constructive way. I haven't experienced that." |
| He added: "What I would not want to become the outcome of this is there is some kind of diminution in the ability of ministers to expect the highest standards". | He added: "What I would not want to become the outcome of this is there is some kind of diminution in the ability of ministers to expect the highest standards". |
| He also said that the government wanted to look at the process for how officials can raise complaints about the behaviour or ministers, saying there was a need to make it "simpler, fairer and less complex". | He also said that the government wanted to look at the process for how officials can raise complaints about the behaviour or ministers, saying there was a need to make it "simpler, fairer and less complex". |
| 'Robust culture' | 'Robust culture' |
| Meanwhile, a Tory peer who is leading a government review of how the civil service operates has called for a more "robust culture" in Whitehall. | Meanwhile, a Tory peer who is leading a government review of how the civil service operates has called for a more "robust culture" in Whitehall. |
| Writing in the Observer, Lord Maude, a former Cabinet Office minister, raised the prospect of civil servants being able to have more open political affiliations. | |
| He said ministers have limited authority to put in place officials of their choice despite relying on them and being accountable for what they do. | He said ministers have limited authority to put in place officials of their choice despite relying on them and being accountable for what they do. |
| He suggested that ministers could be given more say about appointments while preserving impartiality. | He suggested that ministers could be given more say about appointments while preserving impartiality. |
| "The UK is now an outlier, and a better balance needs to be struck," he said, adding that without change, "there will be more cases like Raab's when frustrations boil over". | "The UK is now an outlier, and a better balance needs to be struck," he said, adding that without change, "there will be more cases like Raab's when frustrations boil over". |
| He said that other governments with similar systems, such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada, "manage it better than us". | He said that other governments with similar systems, such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada, "manage it better than us". |
| "In France, permanent civil servants often have overt political affiliations, and it causes few problems," he added. | "In France, permanent civil servants often have overt political affiliations, and it causes few problems," he added. |
| Lord Maude said that without change there would be more cases like that of Mr Raab | Lord Maude said that without change there would be more cases like that of Mr Raab |
| Mr Tolley's inquiry looked at eight formal complaints about Mr Raab's behaviour during his previous stints as justice secretary, foreign secretary and Brexit secretary. | Mr Tolley's inquiry looked at eight formal complaints about Mr Raab's behaviour during his previous stints as justice secretary, foreign secretary and Brexit secretary. |
| His report concluded Mr Raab's conduct involved "an abuse or misuse of power", and that he "acted in a manner which was intimidating" and "persistently aggressive" towards officials. | His report concluded Mr Raab's conduct involved "an abuse or misuse of power", and that he "acted in a manner which was intimidating" and "persistently aggressive" towards officials. |
| The FDA union, which represents civil servants, dismissed Mr Raab's comments that some officials were frustrating the work of government, accused him of peddling "dangerous conspiracy theories that undermine the impartiality and integrity of the civil service". | The FDA union, which represents civil servants, dismissed Mr Raab's comments that some officials were frustrating the work of government, accused him of peddling "dangerous conspiracy theories that undermine the impartiality and integrity of the civil service". |
| On Sunday the Liberal Democrats, who have already called on Mr Raab to step down as an MP, said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak should suspend him as a Conservative MP. | On Sunday the Liberal Democrats, who have already called on Mr Raab to step down as an MP, said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak should suspend him as a Conservative MP. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Dominic Raab | Dominic Raab |
| Civil Service | Civil Service |