Dominic Raab likes to refer his six-week spell away from the Ministry of Justice as a ‘sabbatical’ but for many of his staff it was more of a respite. The Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary (as he likes to be called) was restored to the MoJ last month by Rishi Sunak, after he was unceremoniously booted out of the department by Liz Truss at the beginning of September.
But it seems that civil servants aren’t too pleased at Raab’s return, judging by the smorgasbord of stories that appear in today’s newspapers. The Guardian details how senior staff were offered a ‘route out’ of the ministry when he was reappointed amid concerns about his behaviour. The Mirror says he was nicknamed ‘the incinerator’ as he ‘burns through’ staff so quickly while the Sun claims he is now known as ‘rocket man’ after hurling tomatoes from a Pret salad across a room in a fit of rage. And ITV reports that Raab’s behaviour towards staff when he was Brexit Secretary so alarmed a senior official that they raised their concerns with the Cabinet Office.
It’s never a good sign when the Whitehall machine turns on you. But at least Raab now has the chance to bring in some new staff. Some £95,000 is being put up for a new Principal Private Secretary in the Lord Chancellor’s department. ‘Secure the confidence of ministers’ is listed as a top priority, with Raab seeking someone who has ‘the confidence and credibility to intervene and act as a trouble-shooter to resolve policy issues and tensions within and beyond the department.’ They’ll have their work cut out. The ‘demanding’ role will see one lucky candidate ‘represent the Deputy Prime Minister and resolve the most urgent policy issues within and beyond the Department.’ There will be ‘a strong focus on performance, ensuring that progress is made in all areas.’
Presumably that includes Pret lunch orders.
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