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Dave Penman says some civil servants lost their careers after working for Tory ministerAs the headline on our overnight story about Dominic Raab puts it rather well, the justice secretary and deputy prime ministers remains “in peril” because of the inquiry into allegations he bullied officials.In the papers today there is evidence that Raab, or his allies, are fighting back.A former colleague said: ‘There is a clear attempt by a group of politically motivated mandarins to get him – it looks like a coordinated attempt by a number of senior civil servants.‘In one case it looks like revenge as the individual was effectively forced out by the government.’The deputy prime minister has never sworn or shouted in a meeting. He sets targets across the department to focus relentlessly on delivery in the way that the British people would expect.That’s extraordinary and it couldn’t be further from the truth. Are we really seeing two dozen civil servants in three different government departments over a period of four years have got together in some massive conspiracy? That just doesn’t sound credible.I’ve spoken to people who are civil servants working, and have worked, for Dominic Raab, who have suffered mental health crises, have lost their careers essentially because they’ve had to move and change jobs.This sort of behaviour destroys lives. I mean it’s not just about careers, people’s lives and their mental health are at risk when they are subject to systematic bullying, and to belittle it in that way is absolutely outrageous from a former leader of the house and cabinet minister. Continue reading...