PMQs – ‘I rebut and refute any bullying claims made’ says Dominic Raab

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‘It’s anti-buylling week, will he apologise’ – Rayner

Rayner now mentions the formal complaints that have been made against Dominic Raab. 

‘In anti-bullying week, will he apologise?, she asks.

Raab responds by saying he’s “confident that I behaved professionally throughout” his time as minister. 

Rayner responds by saying Raab had to demand an investigation into himself because the PM is “too weak to get a grip.” 

“The deputy prime minister knows his behaviour was unacceptable, so what’s he still doing here?” she asks.

Raab responds by saying: “I will thoroughly rebut and refute any claims made,” he states, reiterating that Rayner “hasn’t put a specific point to me”.

“If she wants to I’ll be very happy to address it,” he says.

Rayner now asks about the lack of details about when the bullying allegations will be investigated. Rayner says the government has “no ethics, no integrity, no mandate”.

“When will they appoint an independent ethics adviser and drain the swamp?”, she asks.

Raab replies that “the recruitment of the new ethics adviser is already under way and taking place at pace,” to laughter from the Labour benches.

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Rayner asks about tax havens

Rayner asks Raab whether he accepts that every pound hidden in tax havens is a pound lost from the pockets of working families.

Raab responds that the government wants “people to come to this country” and to create jobs for British people.

He says the government’s approach to non-dom status and incentives for big tech companies are enabling business people to come to the UK.

Rayner says working people are paying the price for the government’s choices, and says they’re choosing to protect corporate profits and not household incomes.

Raab responds that Rayner knows unemployment remains at the 50-year low in the UK and stands at “half the level left by the last Labour government”. – (BBC)

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On Ukraine

Rayner begins on Ukraine, asking whether Raab agrees that the fact that Russia is launching missile attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure shows the “utter contempt” President Putin has for the international order. – (BBC)

Raab responds to Angela Rayner’s first question, saying he “100%” agrees that Russia launching missile attacks on Ukrainian civilians shows Putin’s “utter contempt”. – (BBC)

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Dominic Raab says the UK stands in solidarity with Poland and is working with allies to find out what happened. 

Labour’s Clive Betts asks about integrity and whether Raab believes that all ministers should follow certain principles. He asks the PM if he agrees no minister who has had a complaint of bullying upheld against them should serve in government. 

Raab says he behaved professionally throughout and as soon as he was notified about formal complaints against him he asked the PM to set up an independent investigation.