Health Secretary Steve Barclay hit with bullying allegations

Civil servants hit Health Secretary Steve Barclay with bullying allegations… just days after Dominic Raab was forced to step down as Justice Secretary

• Steve Barclay accused of ‘bad behaviour’ towards staff in Department of Health
• Officials ‘raised concerns’, with civil servants complaining to Chris Wormald 
• Allies and former colleagues of Health Secretary have denied the allegations 

Government officials warned it was ‘open season on ministers’ last night as Health Secretary Steve Barclay became the latest senior politician to face bullying allegations.

He was accused of ‘bad behaviour’ towards staff in the Department of Health and Social Care since being appointed last summer.

The Guardian said officials had ‘raised concerns’, with civil servants complaining informally to Chris Wormald, the department’s permanent secretary.

But allies and ex-colleagues of Mr Barclay denied the allegations and suggested civil servants may now feel ’emboldened’ to ‘go after’ ministers they did not like.

It comes after Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab quit when a probe found he had upset staff. 

Government officials warned it was ‘open season on ministers’ last night as Health Secretary Steve Barclay (pictured) became the latest senior politician to face bullying allegations

It comes after Dominic Raab (pictured) was forced to quit as Deputy Prime Minister when a probe found he had upset staff.

Sources told The Guardian that Mr Barclay – a former Government whip and Brexit Secretary – was ‘constantly angry’ and had ‘blasted’ staff, who in turn found him ‘quite challenging’.

One source was quoted saying: ‘Barclay’s style is very macho… he hauls people over the coals and is a bit unpleasant.’

But a source close to Mr Barclay insisted: ‘This is all a bit thin. There’s been no complaint at any department he’s worked in. 

‘The allegation is completely untrue.’

A senior civil servant who worked with Mr Barclay in the Cabinet Office said: ‘I do not recognise any of these allegations. 

‘He was always professional. He set high standards, but he was running a Government department.’

Another said: ‘This is open season on ministers.’

Ex-Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg called Mr Barclay ‘effective’ and ‘tough’, adding: ‘To translate that into bullying is absurd. 

Ex-Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg (pictureD) called Mr Barclay ‘effective’ and ‘tough’, adding: ‘To translate that into bullying is absurd.’

‘Dominic Raab’s departure emboldened civil servants to go after a government they do not like.’

The Health Department said it had not received formal complaints about ministers’ behaviour.

DAILY MAIL COMMENT

Well that didn’t take long, did it? Only five days ago, the Mail warned that the Prime Minister’s decision to sacrifice Justice Secretary Dominic Raab on the altar of expediency in the face of some pretty lame bullying allegations meant that it was only a matter of time until the Tory-hating civil service blob came after another target.

And, with tiresome inevitability, yesterday afternoon the Guardian published a story about how Department of Health officials have ‘raised concerns’ about the alleged conduct of Health Secretary Steve Barclay.

Apparently he’s a ‘micro-manager’ who ‘everyone finds quite challenging’, like thousands of other effective bosses across the country.

So let us ask again: Who is truly in control? Is it ministers who are elected and accountable, or civil servants who are not? And repeat the warning that unless ministers have the freedom to robustly challenge obstructive or substandard staff, this country will be ungovernable.

Meanwhile civil service malcontents will keep coming after Rishi Sunak’s team until he’s the last one left around the Cabinet table.

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