(Reuters) -Dominic Raab will stand down as an MP at Britain’s next general election, the Telegraph newspaper reported on Monday, weeks after he resigned from the government following an independent report found he had bullied officials,
Raab would step down citing concerns over the pressure the job had placed on his family, the newspaper reported, quoting letters to the chairman of Raab’s local Conservative Association.
Raab’s office could not immediately be reached for comment outside of regular office hours in London.
“I have become increasingly concerned over the last few years about the pressure the job has placed on my young family,” Raab wrote in his letter to Peter Szanto, chairman of Esher and Walton Conservative Association, according to the report.
“I will continue to carry out all my responsibilities to my constituents, and provide every support in campaigning, so that we win here next year – which I am confident we can do under this Prime Minister’s leadership.”
Raab had resigned as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s deputy after an independent report found that he had acted in a way that was “intimidating” and “persistently aggressive” with his colleagues, going beyond what was necessary or appropriate in delivering critical feedback.
He subsequently released his resignation letter arguing the findings of the report, apologizing for causing any unintended stress or offence. He added, however, that the report “set a dangerous precedent” for effective government with a low threshold for what constituted bullying.
(Reporting by Jyoti Narayan in Bengaluru; Editing by Leslie Adler and Grant McCool)
