Rishi Sunak is under renewed pressure over what he knew of allegations about deputy prime minister Dominic Raab’s behaviour when handing him a job in cabinet.
According to The Times, cabinet secretary Simon Case was personally informed of a written complaint about bullying against Raab months before his reappointment as justice secretary.
Case is the head of the civil service and works closely with the prime minister.
No.10 has said the PM was “not aware of any formal complaints” before giving Raab the job, but has not denied he knew about informal allegations.
Dozens of officials are believed to be involved in an inquiry into Raab, ordered by Sunak. Raab denies the allegations.
Raab also facing a fresh claim of bullying after an anti-Brexit campaigner alleged he launched an “abusive attack” on her.
Gina Miller said Raab was “aggressive and intimidating” during an “aggressive encounter”.
A source close to Raab said her account was “baseless” and “timed to jump on a political bandwagon and give Gina Miller the publicity she craves”.
Miller, who has launched her own political party, said the Tory MP “launched into an abusive attack on me” while in a BBC studio to debate Brexit in 2016
“I can’t make up my mind if you’re naive, got too much money or just stupid,” she claimed he told her, in an article for the Independent website.
Raab was “furious” when she was told by a young man that a car was ready to pick her up, Miller said, adding that he shouted at the man: “Go get me a f****** car.”
“Raab was aggressive and intimidating, and I was bullied and demeaned,” Miller said.
“This was an aggressive male expressing seemingly misogynistic behaviour. This sort of behaviour is not acceptable from anyone, especially not from a powerful, influential politician.”
Dave Penman, the leader of the FDA union – which represents senior civil servants, has said officials have “suffered mental health crises” as a result of Mr Raab’s behaviour.
“I’ve spoken to people who are civil servants working and have worked for Dominic Raab, who have suffered mental health crises, have lost their careers essentially because they’ve had to move and change jobs,” Penman told Sky News.