By Andrew MacAskill and Alistair Smout
LONDON (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will delay until at least Friday the publication of a report into claims that his deputy bullied staff, two government officials said, despite having had hours to review the findings and reach a conclusion.
Sunak spent much of Thursday considering the findings of the independent investigation into claims against Dominic Raab, his most senior minister and ally.
The report could result in the departure of a third senior minister over their personal conduct since Sunak entered Downing Street in October and would be a major embarrassment as he took office promising a government of integrity.
The review was requested by Raab in November following formal complaints about his behaviour by government officials, and Sunak appointed lawyer Adam Tolley to lead an independent investigation.
Raab has promised to resign if the allegations are upheld.
A spokesman for Sunak said the prime minister had received the report and was “considering the findings”. One government official later said the report would not be published on Thursday as the prime wanted to go through the report thoroughly.
Raab, who is also justice minister, has said he was confident he had behaved professionally throughout, while Sunak initially defended his deputy when the reports surfaced, saying he did not recognise allegations that Raab had bullied staff.
Sunak, after becoming prime minister, promised to create a government of “integrity, professionalism, and accountability” following the scandal-ridden tenure of Boris Johnson and the chaotic economic policies that brought down Liz Truss in less than two months.
The months-long investigation into Raab’s behaviour has heard evidence from multiple government officials about complaints of bullying at three different departments.
The investigation was asked to establish the facts, but not to form a conclusion about whether Raab was guilty of bullying.
The ultimate arbiter will be the prime minister, who will decide whether Raab has broken the ministerial code, which states ministers should treat officials with respect.
The opposition Liberal Democrats accused Sunak of “dither and delay” over the report.
Another of Sunak’s senior ministers, Gavin Williamson, was forced to resign 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 regarding his tax affairs.
Sunak is facing his own investigation by parliament’s standards watchdog into his behaviour over whether he properly declared his wife’s shareholding in a childcare company which stands to benefit from new government policy.
(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill and Alistair Smout; Editing by Michael Holden, Alison Williams, Alexandra Hudson)
