Dominic Raab is a black belt in karate, and his fictional hero is Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine), protagonist of the old TV series Kung fu, a Shaolin monk of American father and Chinese mother who, after receiving a remote monastery in the Himalayas training in spirituality and martial arts, travels the Wild West of the United States in search of his roots and his half-brother, always fighting for justice, helping the disadvantaged and applying a high sense of morality and social responsibility.
The enemies of Raab, who was forced to resign yesterday after the publication of a report which concluded that he committed bullying, laugh at any comparison between the politician and Kung fu, beyond the skill in the karate The already former deputy prime minister and minister of justice has a very aggressive style and language with his subordinates, which has caused some to feel so hurt that they have cried, asked for leave and suffered anxiety attacks. And his code of ethics did not prevent him from staying on holiday during the British withdrawal from Afghanistan, when he was the only one who could authorize the expatriation of Afghan interpreters persecuted by the Taliban, whose lives depended on them. together with the troops. Instead of returning, he stayed two more days in Crete and lower-ranking officials had to deal with the matter.
Raab's resignation, a fortnight before municipal elections, is a serious setback for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives' regained credibility. When it is losing by a landslide (between fifteen and twenty points in the polls), the margin of error is zero, and in recent days the Government has suffered several setbacks. First, the refusal of the nurses to accept the offer of a salary increase and put an end to an endless strike that is besieging public health. Then, some economic data that keep inflation above 10% and predict that the United Kingdom will be one of the OECD countries with the lowest growth this year. And the icing on the cake, the resignation of the head of Justice.
When one's slogan (in the case of Sunak) is the "integrity, professionalism and competence" of his administration, the fact that three ministers have fallen in just six months is undoubtedly a public image problem. Before Raab, the head of Finance, Nadhim Zahawi, for a tax issue, and Gavin Williamson, also for bullying, ceased or resigned. In the meantime, the head of the Interior, Suella Braverman, uses language specific to the extreme right towards immigrants.
The report on Raab has been slow cooking for several months. Of the twenty accusations relating to his management in three ministries, only two have been considered technically bullying by the investigators, who have nevertheless criticized the "persistently aggressive behavior" of the politician. In Britain, where arrogance is the order of the day, even Secretaries and Under-Secretaries of State frequently use a derogatory, intimidating, presumptuous and abusive tone with civil servants in their departments. But the former Justice went beyond the usual, calling them "useless" and criticizing their behavior in public.
Sunak, after receiving the report, consulted with the pillow what step he should take, without finding any good solution. If his minister (and great political ally, who supported his candidacy for the Tory leadership from the beginning) were to quit, it would appear that his Government is not as clean and whole as it proclaims. And if he covered up the matter, he would have been accused of weakness (which has happened in any case). In the end, under intense pressure, it was Raab himself who took the initiative and resigned. As Deputy Prime Minister he has been replaced by Oliver Dowden, and as Minister of Justice by Alex Chalk.
But Raab has not gone as far as attacking some civil servants "who have too thin skin, they do not understand that the pressure of politics sometimes leads to the use of aggressive language, and in some cases they hinder the management of the Government, they boycott the initiatives with which they do not agree and try to set their own agenda”.
"I have never uttered insults or slogans, nor thrown anything at anyone," said Raab in his defense. He didn't go down for punches or karate kicks, he died from his mouth and an attitude of superiority. His master taught Kung fu to the little grasshopper the importance of patience and tolerance. It is a lesson the minister never learned, and it has cost him dearly.
