Description
The allies are also accused of 'massively undermining' the UK ambassador to Spain Dominique Raab Intimidation of civil servants in Whitehall will worsen after the 'sham' of Dominic Raab's departure from government, experts have warned.
Officials will be discouraged from filing formal complaints against other ministers in future, they said, amid claims of a "chilling" effect.
A dispute also erupted when allies of the former deputy prime minister were accused of 'massively undermining' the UK ambassador to Spain, naming him the man at the center of one of the confirmed complaints.
Raab was forced to resign after an independent investigation found that he had acted intimidating and aggressive towards officials.
But the officials who claimed he intimidated them only learned the results of their complaints from broadcast news channels, sources familiar with the process said.
Et Rishi Sunak a été critique pour sa decision d'attendre 24 hures avant de publier les conclusions de l'enquête, laissant à son adjoint le temps de démissionner et d'écrire un article de journal national exposant d'abord sa version de l' history.
The events of Raab's ouster from the government would "absolutely" deter others from pressing charges, he said, adding: "If the thugs think they can get away with it, it flourishes."
When he resigned, Raab claimed that the findings against him set up a "playbook for a small number of civil servants to attack ministers."
But Hannah White, director of the Institute of Government (IfG), said that "no official would feel encouraged to speak in the future."
He said reading Raab's resignation letter and the one sent in response by the prime minister: "No official would conclude that the current government is interested in establishing a culture of responsibility and professionalism."
Raab's allies have also come under fire after a British ambassador at the center of one of the confirmed bullying allegations was identified as the UK ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliott, according to The Daily Telegraph.
The newspaper was told that Mr Raab had heard reports that Mr Elliott had gone beyond the Cabinet's agreed stance of never having Spanish officers permanently stationed in Gibraltar.
A former Tory cabinet minister said appointing Elliott, whose identity was carefully anonymized in the official report, "greatly undermines" the top diplomat, especially as officials cannot publicly defend themselves.
Spain is seen as an important diplomatic player, given Brexit and the dispute over Gibraltar.
Alex Thomas of the Institute of Government said: 'The credibility of any of Britain's representatives abroad depends on correctly representing their government. Spreading this accusation without... the ability to refute it is potentially damaging.
Downing Street declined to comment.
PA wire
Access
