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UK Names Oliver Dowden As Deputy Prime Minister After Dominic Raab’s Resignation

UK Names Oliver Dowden As Deputy Prime Minister After Dominic Raab’s Resignation
April 21, 2023

 

The British government on Friday announced Oliver Dowden as deputy prime minister, replacing Dominic Raab who resigned earlier in the day.

On Friday morning after a report into his conduct found he had acted in an "intimidating way" and was "unreasonably and persistently aggressive" in meetings, according to Reuters.

But he has attacked the findings as "flawed", and claimed they "set a dangerous precedent for the conduct of good government".

This means the MP for Hertsmere will have various duties, including deputising for the Prime Minister at PMQs or even filling in for them if they fall ill (Like Mr Raab did when Boris Johnson had a near-fatal battle with Covid-19).

A regular on the front bench over the last few years, Mr Dowden has held several different jobs in government.

As deputy prime minister, Dominic Raab had no formal powers but stepped in for the prime minister if he was away from parliament or incapacitated.

Oliver Dowden currently serves as cabinet office minister in Rishi Sunak's government. He was previously chairman of Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party but resigned from that post last June after two crushing by-election defeats for the party.

In the same announcement, lawmaker Alex Chalk was appointed new justice minister, a position which was previously held by Dominic Raab.


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