‘Robustness’ or bullying: when does firm management cross the line?

As the Dominic Raab case has shown, allegations of bullying can be highly subjective

Dominic Raab, in his resignation statement, preferred to call it “direct critical feedback” and the “pace, standards and challenge” that he brought to his departments. His allies had previously defended him as someone who simply “expects people to be on their brief and puts them on the spot”.

But in his report, Adam Tolley KC found that at times the politician had gone beyond merely demanding high standards of his staff, including instances in which he was “intimidating” or acted in a way that was “unreasonably and persistently aggressive”.