Dominic Raab resigns: The karate black belt MP who briefly ran the nation however was introduced down by bullying claims

For virtually three weeks, on the top of a once-in-a-generation disaster, Dominic Raab was in control of the UK authorities.

When Boris Johnson was admitted to intensive care with COVID in April 2020, it was Mr Raab who took over on the prime.

Addressing the general public throughout a Downing Street information convention shortly after taking on the prime minister’s obligations, Mr Raab vowed that he and the remainder of the cupboard would “not blink or flinch in the task ahead at this crucial moment”.

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“He’s not just the PM – our boss – for all of us in cabinet he is also our colleague, our friend,” Mr Raab stated. “If there is one thing I know about this prime minister; he’s a fighter.”

Later that yr, he revealed simply how severe that second had been, saying: “I really worried we might lose him.”

It might have marked probably the most dramatic second in his time on the prime of presidency, however even with out it, the interval since he first joined the cupboard in 2018 has not been in need of political tumult.

Before politics

An Oxbridge-educated lawyer, Mr Raab additionally had a profession within the authorized sector after which as a Foreign Office lawyer throughout the New Labour years.

This included defending then prime minister Tony Blair in a lawsuit lodged by Slobodan Milosevic, the ex-leader of Yugoslavia.

In 2006, Mr Raab, a karate black belt, moved into politics, working as an aide to then shadow dwelling secretary David Davis.

He additionally had a spell working for Dominic Grieve, who went on to function lawyer common throughout Theresa May’s premiership.

Entrance into parliament

In 2010, Mr Raab stood to be the MP for Esher and Walton after fellow Conservative Ian Taylor stood down.

The seat’s majority surged from simply over 7,000 to shut to twenty,000 as David Cameron got here to energy in coalition with the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Raab spent his early years in parliament as a backbencher, at one level co-authoring a e book on economics known as Britannia Unchained: Global Lessons for Growth and Prosperity.

His co-authors on the treatise have been Liz Truss, Kwasi Kwarteng, Chris Skidmore and Priti Patel.

In the 2015 election, Mr Raab’s majority in Esher and Walton swelled to shut to 30,000.

He was subsequently appointed as a junior minister underneath Michael Gove, who was then the justice secretary.

Mr Raab’s function included being the minister for human rights.

Support of Brexit and entrance to the cupboard

In 2016, Mr Raab introduced he can be supporting the departure of the UK from the European Union.

He was a distinguished campaigner working with the Vote Leave organisation.

Mr Raab spoke of his confidence that the UK would strike a commerce cope with the EU within the wake of Brexit.

Following the results of the referendum and the resignation of Mr Cameron, Mr Raab stayed on as a authorities minister within the justice division underneath Theresa May.

His majority then slipped from near 30,000 to round 23,000 within the 2017 common election.

In January 2018, Mrs May reshuffled her authorities and he turned a housing minister underneath Sajid Javid.

It was only some months later, in July 2018, that Mr Raab joined the highest desk of presidency.

When his former boss, David Davis, resigned as Brexit secretary over Mrs May’s Chequers proposal, Mr Raab was tapped as his alternative.

Shortly after taking on the place, Mr Raab was criticised for his feedback when he stated he “hadn’t quite understood” how reliant UK-EU commerce was on the crossing between Dover and Calais.

In November 2018, Mr Raab resigned from the federal government over his opposition to the Brexit deal which had been agreed with the EU.

But by the next March, amid the nights of limitless votes on Brexit, Mr Raab modified tack and voted to help Mrs May’s deal, as he stated in any other case there was a “significant risk of losing Brexit altogether”.

Failed management run – and really working the nation

After Mrs May stood down as prime minister in 2019, Mr Raab ran to exchange her.

While he was by no means anticipated to win, his 30 or so supporters gave him negotiating energy for a plum job with eventual winner Boris Johnson.

Coming out of the race, he was appointed overseas secretary – one of many nice places of work of state.

Mr Raab was additionally given the title of first secretary of state – turning into de facto deputy prime minister.

In the December 2019 election, Mr Raab’s majority collapsed from round 23,000 to underneath 3,000.

But he saved his place within the cupboard of Mr Johnson’s new majority authorities.

The first secretary of state function is one which places a minister above all different secretaries of state, which is the rank of most cupboard ministers.

Held by George Osborne underneath David Cameron, John Prescott underneath Tony Blair and Michael Heseltine underneath John Major, it’s a function not at all times crammed and never one usually known as upon.

But throughout the COVID pandemic, Mr Raab needed to step as much as the plate and lead the federal government when Mr Johnson was admitted to hospital with coronavirus.

After Mr Johnson was recognized with the virus on the finish of March 2020, it was confirmed Mr Raab can be in control of the nation ought to the prime minister be unable to discharge his duties.

On 5 April that yr, Mr Johnson was admitted to hospital and Mr Raab stood in, chairing conferences, delivering information conferences and responding at Prime Minister’s Questions.

It was solely on 27 April 2020 that Mr Johnson as soon as extra took over once more as prime minister.

Hong Kong, Afghanistan and exiting the Foreign Office

After stepping again from working the nation, Mr Raab returned to working the Foreign Office.

He was nonetheless coping with the impacts of the pandemic, and it was quickly introduced that the worldwide improvement transient can be added to his portfolio.

In the summer season of 2020, Mr Raab introduced the UK would provide a route for individuals from Hong Kong who held British National (Overseas) standing to Britain after China successfully took over the area.

He introduced within the Commons that China’s actions constituted a “clear and serious breach” of the treaty agreed between China and the UK in 1984 concerning the semi-autonomous metropolis.

More than 144,000 individuals have since utilized for the visa scheme.

The closing act of Mr Raab’s tenure as overseas secretary arrived with the withdrawal of Western forces from Afghanistan in August 2021.

The nation was plunged into chaos, with a resurgent Taliban capturing swathes of the nation as Joe Biden and US allies pulled out their troops.

Evacuation efforts – often called Operation Pitting – have been beset by points, together with individuals ready in sewers to get into Kabul airport, and hanging from the aspect of aeroplanes as they took off in an try to flee the Taliban.

It quickly emerged that Mr Raab was on vacation in Crete, and he fought off calls to resign following experiences he was rejecting cellphone calls whereas away.

He later stated that with the “benefit of hindsight” he would have returned earlier.

Mr Raab was mocked for telling Sky News that he was not paddleboarding as “the sea was closed”.

By mid-September, Mr Johnson had reshuffled his authorities and Mr Raab was faraway from the Foreign Office. He was made justice secretary and deputy prime minister.

Replacement of Boris Johnson

Amid swathes of Conservative authorities resignations and requires Mr Johnson to step down as prime minister in mid-2022, Mr Raab remained in submit as justice secretary.

After Mr Johnson introduced his resignation, Mr Raab introduced his help for Rishi Sunak and was one in every of his most vocal supporters.

When Liz Truss received the race to be prime minister, Mr Raab left the cupboard and spent the next weeks participating on social media with constituency points.

Once the Truss premiership collapsed, Mr Raab returned to authorities as soon as once more as justice secretary and deputy prime minister.

Bullying allegations and downfall

Soon after Mr Sunak entered Downing Street, allegations started to swirl about one other one in every of his allies – Gavin Williamson.

Eventually, Mr Williamson supplied his resignation, however the highlight quickly turned to Mr Raab.

In November 2022, Mr Raab requested an investigation into the bullying claims made towards him – though he insisted on the time that he was “confident that I have behaved professionally throughout”.

Adam Tolley KC was charged with main the investigation.

Now Mr Raab has left the federal government, he’s dealing with the probability of shedding his seat as an MP on the subsequent common election.

It is a prime Liberal Democrat goal, and his majority of lower than 2,000 is trying precarious with the present unpopularity of the Conservatives.