UK

Dominic Raab profile: A standard-bearer for Tory party’s right wing

Committed Brexiteer had complicated relationship with EU and Irish goverment officials

Dominic Raab has resigned as the UK’s deputy prime minister and from Rishi Sunak’s cabinet following the conclusion of an inquiry into bullying allegations. Photograph: Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images

Mark Paul in London
Fri Apr 21 2023 - 11:32

Dominic Raab’s political career may have been clouded over the last six months as an investigation into allegations of bullying by him continued. But before that he had established himself as a standard-bearer for the right wing of the Tory party and one of its most committed Brexiteers, which led to his complicated relationship with European Union and Irish government officials.

[ News: British deputy prime minister Dominic Raab resigns ]

The Oxford and Cambridge educated former corporate lawyer began his career at London “magic circle” firm, Linklaters, before moving into the public sector and politics. He worked as an aide to senior Tories such as David Davis before getting elected as an MP in the 2010 under David Cameron, who promoted him to junior roles.

Raab, who styles himself as a “no nonsense” character, was an enthusiastic Leave campaigner in the 2016 Brexit referendum and was initially overlooked by Theresa May when she took over. After a short stint as a housing minister she then elevated him to Brexit secretary in 2018 to replace his old mentor, Davis, who resigned in protest at May’s proposed deal with the EU. May gave Raab a leading role in the negotiations with Europe, until he also resigned in protest four months later.

Raab was close to both Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson, despite running against Johnson in the 2019 leadership contest. Johnson made him deputy prime minister and foreign secretary, thrusting him back into the centre of then-fraught talks with Brussels, where he was nicknamed the “Turnip”, a play on the Dutch word for the vegetable that sounds like his surname.

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British Labour Party leader Keir Starmer has criticized Prime Minister Rishi Sunak following the resignation of his deputy, Dominic Raab. (reuters)

He was overlooked again during Liz Truss’s short reign, but Rishi Sunak brought him back into the senior fold as deputy prime minister and justice secretary, despite allegations of bullying against him by Whitehall officials.

Mark Paul

Mark Paul

Mark Paul is London Correspondent for The Irish Times

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