Dominic Raab “will resign” from cabinet if bullying allegations are upheld against him, the Deputy Prime Minister said on Sunday.
Mr Raab's conduct is currently being investigated by senior lawyer Adam Tolley KC over claims of bullying, with dozens of officials thought to be involved in eight formal complaints.
Asked about the probe on Sky's Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, Mr Raab said he had “behaved professionally throughout”.
He dismissed calls to stand aside while the investigation is carried out, insisting “that's ultimately for the Prime Minister to decide”, adding: “I think, actually, just by lodging complaints, you can knock out a cabinet minister or senior figure, [I am] not sure that is right.
“We believe in innocent until proven guilty in this country and I'll co-operate fully with the inquiry, and I'll respect the outcome of it.”
Asked whether he will then resign if the complaint is upheld, at first Mr Raab said he was not going to start speculating on what the outcome might be.
When pressed further, he said: “Allow me to respond in the right way at the right time, of course. Look, if an allegation of bullying is upheld, I will resign.”
Making an appearance later on the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme, Mr Raab also faced questions about his conduct.
He denied he was a bully but said he had learnt lessons from his dealings with civil servants in the past.
Asked whether he had ever reflected on his dealings with staff and felt he “shouldn't have reacted in that way”, the Justice Secretary said: “Look, in terms of working style, falling short of any of the impropriety you refer to, look, of course, we learn lessons as we go.
“That is part of the relationship with civil servants. But I'm confident that I've behaved professionally throughout.
“I think the lion's share of the time, the vast majority of cases and the time we spend together, civil servants and ministers work very effectively together.”
On whether there should be “more plain speaking in politics”, he replied: “Yes, absolutely.
“What we need, and I think this can be reconciled absolutely with having a zero tolerance on bullying, you need ministers who come in and correctly but directly challenge assumptions, test ideas — that is the way we get the best out of government.”
Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union, dismissed Mr Raab's comments, insisting civil servants do not “have the confidence” to challenge bullying or harassment by senior figures in Whitehall.
He told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “The picture he paints is that everything is fine in the civil service and the relationship between ministers and civil servants is OK.
“That's not the picture civil servants speak of, that's not their experience.
“One in six are saying they have experienced bullying or harassment, or have witnessed that, in the last 12 months alone across 20 government departments.
“They don't have the confidence of challenging those behaviours.”
Responding to Mr Raab's comments about the investigation into bullying allegations against him, Liberal Democrat chief whip Wendy Chamberlain said the Prime Minister “should finally show some backbone” and suspend him while the investigation is continuing.
She added: “That is what would happen to someone facing such serious allegations in any other workplace. The current position is completely unsustainable, how can crime victims expect justice when the minister responsible is busy trying to clear his own name?”
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
