Karate fan Dominic Raab has given himself the chop following the findings of a report into bullying allegations made against him.
His resignation as deputy prime minister and justice secretary would appear to have ended his ambitions of one day taking over in No 10.
For Rishi Sunak, the departure of his deputy has left him without a key trusted ally in Government and adds to questions about his judgment over Raab’s initial appointment.
Raab, who ran for the Tory leadership himself in 2019, backed Sunak in 2022’s contests for No 10.
His loyalty was rewarded by Sunak, who returned him to the roles of deputy prime minister and justice secretary which he had previously held under Boris Johnson.
But the decision caused consternation in Whitehall, where there had long been rumours about Raab’s behaviour towards officials in his departments.
Working with Raab led some to suffer “mental health crises”, according to Dave Penman, the leader of the FDA union which represents senior Whitehall staff.
But allies of Raab downplayed his behaviour as “demanding” and suggested officials should be prepared to work in challenging situations.
According to social media reports, people on one train burst into applause after Raab announced his resignation.
Judging by these reactions, they aren’t the only ones happy he’s gone!
Related: Gina Miller: Dominic Raab called me a ‘silly b*tch’
