UK Deputy PM resigns

British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has resigned from the UK government following an independent investigation into complaints that he bullied colleagues, the latest scandal to force out one of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's top ministers.

The loss of the third senior minister over their personal conduct in the last six months will damage Sunak's efforts to revive the governing Conservative Party's fortunes and is a major embarrassment as he had entered Downing Street in October promising a government of integrity.

Raab resigned in a letter to the prime minister before the report was made public, his departure a setback to Sunak just two weeks ahead of English local council elections where his Conservatives are predicted to fare badly.

Sunak's office declined immediate comment.

"I called for the inquiry and undertook to resign if it made any finding of bullying whatsoever," Raab's letter said. "I believe it is important to keep my word."

As deputy prime minister, Raab had no formal powers but stepped in for the prime minister if he was away from parliament or incapacitated. However he was a close political ally of Sunak and helped launch his campaign to be prime minister last summer.

The resignation will also do little to improve the public perception of his government following the scandal-ridden tenure of Boris Johnson and the chaotic economic policies that brought down Liz Truss after less than two months.

The months-long investigation into Raab's behaviour heard evidence from multiple government officials about complaints of bullying at three different departments.

Raab, who was also justice minister, requested the investigation in November following formal complaints about his behaviour by government officials. He said he felt "duty bound" to accept the outcome of the inquiry but also staunchly defended his conduct.

He said the report had concluded he had not once sworn, shouted or physically intimidated anyone in four and a half years, and had dismissed all but two of the claims against him.

Raab said setting the threshold for bullying so low "set a dangerous precedent for the conduct of good government".

This will "have a chilling effect on those driving change on behalf of your government - and ultimately the British people", he said in his letter.

Oliver Dowden, the cabinet office minister and a key Sunak ally, was appointed as the new deputy prime minister, while former lawyer Alex Chalk was named as the new justice minister.

Some Conservative lawmakers said Raab did not deserve to lose his job. Keir Starmer, the leader of the main opposition Labour Party, accused Sunak of "weakness" for letting Raab resign rather than sacking him.

Another of Sunak's senior ministers, Gavin Williamson, quit in November after bullying allegations and the prime minister sacked Conservative Party chair Nadhim Zahawi in January after he was found to have broken the ministerial code over his openness about his tax affairs.

Sunak is facing his own investigation by parliament's standards watchdog over whether he properly declared his wife's shareholding in a childcare company which stands to benefit from new government policy.