Dominic Raab says ‘I’m confident I’ve behaved professionally ’ as he faces ‘bullying’ probe

Dominic Raab faced a grilling from Angela Rayner on bullying allegations against him as he deputised for Rishi Sunak at Prime Minister’s Questions.

Mr Sunak, in Indonesia at the G20 summit, has so far stood by Mr Raab, who was thrust into the spotlight as he faced the Labour deputy leader at the despatch box.

The deputy PM was immediately asked by an opposition MP whether it is right for MPs to continue serving while facing such allegations.

Responding, Mr Raab said: “I am confident I have behaved professionally throughout but immediately I heard two complaints had been made...I asked the Prime Minister to set up an independent investigation, and of course I will comply with it fully.”

Ms Rayner accused Mr Sunak of being “too weak to get a grip” after Mr Raab revealed he had asked the PM to request an independent investigation into two formal complaints against him.

She said: “Let me get this straight. He has had to demand an investigation into himself because the Prime Minister is too weak to get a grip.” Mr Raab replied he was “happy to address any specific point she wishes to make”.

The Prime Minister has agreed to his request for an independent investigation, saying: “Integrity, professionalism and accountability are core values of this Government. It is right that these matters are investigated fully.”

PMQs to begin at midday

11:29 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Hello, and welcome to our live blog.

We’ll be bringing you live updates this afternoon, as Dominic Raab fills in for Rishi Sunak at Prime Minister’s Questions.

Mr Raab’s appearance will come after he confirmed this morning two formal complaints have been filed against him, following allegations he bullied officials, along with questions over his behaviour towards junior colleagues.

Sunak agrees to Raab’s request for independent investigation

11:34 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Rishi Sunak has agreed to Dominic Raab’s request for an independent investigation into allegations about his conduct.

Mr Raab said on Twitter this morning that he had written to Mr Sunak, “to request an independent investigation into two formal complaints that have been made against me”.

The Prime Minister has now thanked Mr Raab for his letter, and recommendation “that the two formal complaints against you in previous roles are investigated independently”.

“I know that you will be keen to address the complaints made against you and agree that proceeding in this way is the right course of action,” said Mr Sunak.

“Integrity, professionalism and accountability are core values of this Government. It is right that these matters are investigated fully.”

Pictured: Raab’s full letter to Prime Minister

11:43 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Prime Minister’s Questions begins

12:02 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Dominic Raab has opened PMQs in the House of Commons, where he is standing in for Rishi Sunak.

Raab: ‘I am confident I have behaved professionally’

12:06 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Bullying is the first item on the agenda.

Dominic Raab, who is facing a bullying probe after two official complaints were filed against him this week, was immediately asked by Labour MP Clive Betts whether it is right for MPs to continue serving while facing such allegations.

Responding, Mr Raab said: “I am confident I have behaved professionally throughout but immediately I heard two complaints had been made...I asked the Prime Minister to set up an independent investigation, and of course I will comply with it fully.”

Angela Rayner calls on Raab to ‘apologise’ over alleged bullying

12:13 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has called on Mr Raab to apologise following allegations he bullied colleagues.

She told the Commons: “After days of dodging and denial, this morning the Deputy Prime Minister finally acknowledged formal complaints about his misconduct, but his letter contains no hint of admission or apology.

“This is anti-bullying week. Will he apologise?”

Echoing his earlier comments made in response to Mr Betts, Mr Raab replied: “She asks about the complaints, I received notification this morning, I immediately asked the Prime Minister to set up an independent inquiry into them.

“I’m confident I behaved professionally throughout but of course I will engage thoroughly and look forward to transparently addressing any claims that have been made.

“I will thoroughly rebut and refute any of the claims [that have been made].”

Raab urged to say sorry as inflation hits 41-year high

12:21 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

SNP leader Kirsten Oswald has urged Mr Raab to apologise to the public, after news today that inflation has risen to a staggering 41-year high.

Ms Oswald asked: “Will the deputy prime minister stand up today and do what his boss wouldn’t? Will he say sorry?”

Mr Raab responded by describing the skyrocketing inflation as “clearly a problem.” He added that the Autumn Statement, due to be delivered by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt tomorrow, will “set out a plan to tak the Scottish people and people thrughout the UK to take people through these economic challenges”.

Search for independent ethics adviser is ‘underway’, says deputy PM

12:24 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

The recruitment of a new independent ethics adviser is “taking place at pace”, Dominic Raab said after he was urged to “drain the swamp” by Labour.

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner told the Commons: “No ethics, no integrity, and no mandate, and still no ethics adviser. So when will they appoint an independent ethics adviser and drain the swamp?”

The Deputy Prime Minister replied: “The recruitment of the new ethics adviser is already underway and taking place at pace.

“May I say, there is a reason that she has come to the despatch box with her usual mix of bluster and mudslinging. It is because they don’t have a plan.”

Deputy Labour leader says Sunak ‘too weak to get a grip'

12:27 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

Rishi Sunak is “too weak to get a grip”, Angela Rayner has said.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, the Labour deputy leader said: “Let me get this straight. He has had to demand an investigation into himself because the Prime Minister is too weak to get a grip.

“A Prime Minister in office less than a month with a disgraced cabinet minister resigned with his good wishes, the Home Secretary who breached the ministerial code and risked national security still clings on, and now the Prime Minister defends his deputy, whose behaviour has been described as ‘abrasive, controlling and demeaning’, with junior staff too scared to even enter his office, and that is without mentioning the flying tomatoes.

“The Deputy Prime Minister knows his behaviour is unacceptable, so what is he still doing here?”

Dominic Raab replied he was “happy to address any specific point she wishes to make”, adding: “She hasn’t in fact put a specific point to me, if she wishes to do so, and this is her opportunity, I would be very glad to address it.”

PMQs comes to a close

12:49 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

That’s the end of Prime Minister’s Questions for this week.

It closed with Mr Raab again saying “I welcome the opportunity to address these complaints”, regarding the bullying probe he is currently facing.

Sunak: Full confidence in Raab

13:17 , Will Mata

Rishi Sunak still has full confidence in deputy prime minister Dominic Raab, despite the complaints made against him, Downing Street said.

The prime minister has not yet provided a full statement.

Mr Sunak will appoint an "independent" investigator to examine the complaints made against his number two.

He will select the person to carry out the fact-finding exercise in the absence of a permanent ministerial ethics watchdog.

But a Downing Street spokeswoman said Mr Sunak will not be obliged to accept the findings of any report produced by the investigator as the Prime Minister remains the "ultimate arbiter" of the ministerial code.

Summary; Raab ‘confident’ he behaved professionally

13:29 , Will Mata

The main takeaways from Prime Minister’s Questions: Dominic Raab has said he is "confident" he has behaved "professionally", as the deputy prime minister faces an investigation into two formal complaints against him.

The Justice Secretary confirmed on Wednesday that two separate complaints had been made about his conduct, as the Prime Minister agreed to open an independent investigation into the allegations.

Standing in at Prime Minister's Questions for Rishi Sunak, who is flying back from the G20 summit in Bali, Mr Raab faced an onslaught of questions from Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner as he said he was looking forward to "transparently addressing any claims that have been made".

Mr Raab has been facing a series of allegations he bullied officials and deployed rude and demeaning behaviour in previous Cabinet roles.

In his response on Wednesday, Mr Sunak told the Justice Secretary that "integrity, professionalism and accountability are core values of this Government" and said that an investigation was the "right course of action".

Sunak ‘made decision on Wednesday'

13:35 , Will Mata

Rishi Sunak was informed about the formal complaints against Dominic Raab on Wednesday morning and "took the decision to ask for an investigation into the two complaints".

Asked whether Mr Sunak would have launched the investigation if Mr Raab had not requested it, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: "I think that's all very hypothetical.

"I've set out that the Prime Minister thinks it is right that this is investigated and he's asked for that to happen."

That’s a wrap

14:08 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks

That brings our politics live blog to a close for today.

Thanks for following along. You can find all the latest politics stories on the Evening Standard website.