Dominic Raab is determined to battle on as Rishi Sunak ponders whether to sack the Deputy Prime Minister after receiving a report into whether he bullied officials.
After being accused of “dither”, the Prime Minister was taking a second day to determine whether he will kick Mr Raab out of his Cabinet as he reviews senior lawyer Adam Tolley KC’s investigation.
Mr Sunak received the report on Thursday morning but Downing Street was unable to say if the Prime Minister’s verdict, and the report itself, will come on Friday.
Mr Raab, who is also Justice Secretary, has read the report and maintains he has not mistreated colleagues or broken the Ministerial Code, the PA news agency was told.
A source close to Mr Raab said the Prime Minister has not asked him to resign and denied the pair had held talks over his future.
No 10 had promised that the Prime Minister’s verdict on the eight formal allegations would be published “swiftly”.
But as a decision was delayed a Downing Street source said Mr Sunak was “taking time to go through the report thoroughly”.
Labour accused Mr Sunak of lacking the “guts” to sack his ally and said the decision was distracting him from leading the country.
Shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry told PA: “I think it’s another example of Conservative chaos and not addressing the problems of the country.
“He’s going to spend tonight looking at the report and trying to summon up the courage to work out whether he should sack his deputy or not when really what he should be doing is focusing on a cost-of-living crisis.
“He’s got the report, read the report, if he’s a bully, sack him.”
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