Dominic Raab

Dominic Raab in 2017

Dominic Rennie Raab (born 25 February 1974) is a British politician and former cabinet minister. He was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor by Rishi Sunak in October 2022 and served in the same posts under Boris Johnson for a year from September 2021. Previously, he held the posts of Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State. In the latter role he deputized for the Prime Minister briefly in April 2020 while Johnson was incapacitated during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Theresa May's government, he was briefly the Brexit Secretary for four months, before resigning. A member of the Conservative Party, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Esher and Walton since 2010. Raab resigned from the government in April 2023 after a report by Adam Tolley KC into his behaviour with colleagues. The following month, Raab announced his intention to stand down at the next general election.

Quotes

2012

• The British are among the worst idlers in the world.
  • Britannia Unchained, a book co-authored by Raab, Liz Truss, Kwasi Kwarteng, Priti Patel and Chris Skidmore (published 13 September 2012)

2017

• The typical user of a food bank is not someone that's languishing in poverty, it's someone who has a cash flow problem.
  • During an election debate hosted by the BBC, cited in The Guardian (29 May 2017)

2018

• I think it's understandable there are jitters on all sides of this debate and we need to hold our nerve. The end is in sight in terms of a good deal - the prize we want - a good deal with the EU and I think colleagues should wait and see what that looks like.
  • Brexit: Hold your nerve, Raab tells 'jittery' Tories BBC News (21 October 2018)

• We are – and I hadn't quite understood the full extent of this, but if you look at the UK and if you look at how we trade in goods – we are particularly reliant on the Dover-Calais crossing.
  • Speaking at an event for technology companies in his then role as Brexit Secretary, cited by BBC News (7 November 2018)

2019

• The NHS is not for sale to any country and never would be.
  • "Trump state visit: US president turns down meeting with 'negative' Corbyn", BBC News, 4 June 2019

2020

• I've got say, on this take the knee thing – which, I don't know, maybe it's got a broader history but it seems to be taken from the Game of Thrones – feels to me like a symbol of subjugation and subordination, rather than one of liberation and emancipation.
  • Interviewed on talkRADIO as cited by The Guardian (18 June 2020)

2021

• In fact the sea wasn't open.
  • Interviewed by BBC Breakfast and talking about his holiday in Crete during the 2021 Fall of Kabul, cited in "Dominic Raab: With hindsight I wouldn't have gone on holiday" BBC News (25 August 2021)

• Misogyny is absolutely wrong whether it's a man against a woman or a woman against a man.
  • BBC interview, cited in "Conservative conference: Dominic Raab criticised for misogyny comments" BBC News (6 October 2021)

• The police don't normally look back and investigate things that have taken place a year ago.
  • Interviewed by Andrew Marr, "Covid: No 10 Christmas party claims unsubstantiated says Raab", BBC News (5 December 2021)