Justice Secretary Alex Chalk has just confirmed the inevitable: he’s scrapping Dominic Raab’s Bill of Rights. Responding to a question from Bob Neill in the Chamber, Chalk announced the government has binned the Bill just two months after Raab was forced to resign over accusations of tomato-lobbing. Chalk said:

“Having carefully considered the government’s legislative programme in the round, I can inform the House we have decided not to proceed with the Bill of Rights. But let me say that the government remains committed to a human rights framework which is up to date and fit for purpose and works for the British people. We have taken and are taking specific action to address specific issues with the Human Rights Act and the European Convention [on Human Rights]…”

The Bill was designed to reduce challenges to public authorities on dubious grounds and reducing retrospective court challenges that second guess bodies’ “professional judgement exercised under considerable pressure.” Now it’s in the shredder…

UPDATE: Labour are jumping all over this. Shadow Justice Secretary Steve Reed has released a statement:

“This is the third time the Government have u-turned on their Rights Reduction Act. The plans were a dangerous threat to peace in Northern Ireland, prevented us from deporting foreign terrorists and dented the rights of rape survivors. What’s astonishing is that a string of Tory prime ministers indulged this half-baked nonsense for so long. If you needed any more evidence that this clownish Conservative government is a directionless political circus, this is it.”

Labour attacking the Tories for U-turns…

Guido has some sympathy for Dominic Raab, he was brought down by a civil service insurrection over a load of nonsense because he was a demanding boss. He was let down by a weak Prime Minister who prefers to take the path of least resistance to defeat. The Prime Minister has so far not connected with the British people and the party he leads is consistently polling worse than it did under Boris. Rishi’s strategy has so far not reduced the double digit deficit at the polls, and the PM is even untrusted and unloved by much of the rank and file membership of his own party. Dominic Raab literally stood by Rishi Sunak when he was seeking to become party leader.

Given the lack of progress in the national polls, the forecast for his constituency was grim.  You can’t blame Raab for thinking “sod it”…

Here we go again. Having finished off Dominic Raab, the Whitehall militia have found their next target. Now it’s Health Secretary Steve Barclay’s turn, with the charge sheet against him so appalling it’s almost impossible to read. For those brave enough, here is what Barclay is being accused of by distressed civil servants:

• “Blasting” staff
• Being “angry“
• Being “quite challenging“
• Having a “very macho” style. As opposed to a “very effete” style?
• “Micro-managing” employees. Presumably by asking them what they are doing, exactly?

The botched attempt to take down Alok Sharma means mandarins are now having to up their game. Barclay doesn’t just call Civil Servants while they’re at home, he “blasts” them when they make mistakes, and is sometimes even “difficult” to work with – whatever that means. No one has accused him of hurling fruit past the skulls of his staff yet, although it’s surely only a matter of time. Barclay’s allies are calling the allegations “totally untrue” and “politically motivated“, pointing out that not one complaint has been made. James Cleverly added Barclay is “absolutely not” a bully on Sky News this morning. Not that any of that matters: it is clearly open season on any Cabinet minister now. One Civil Service source joked to Guido “if Civil Servants are snowflakes, the DHSC [Department of Health and Social Care] is Antarctica”…

Alex Chalk replaces Dominic Raab as Justice Secretary. James Cartlidge has been appointed to his former position as a Minister in the MoD, whilst Gareth Davies is made Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury. Oliver Dowden has also taken up the role of Deputy Prime Minister. Chalk up.

The government has also outlined plans for appointments to cover the maternity leave of Michelle Donelan and Julia Lopez:

• Rt Hon Michelle Donelan MP as a Minister on Leave (Secretary of State);
• Rt Hon Chloe Smith MP as Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology;
•  Julia Lopez MP as a Minister on Leave (Minister of State);
• Rt Hon Sir John Whittingdale OBE MP as a Minister of State jointly in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

That’s all folks.

Dominic Raab’s Civil Service-secured resignation this morning leaves big shoes to fill in the Ministry of Justice. As a big name Rishi-backer, with evident willingness to take on the blob, Rishi will want to get Raab’s replacement right. Here are some of the front-runners in any mini Ri-shuffle…

• Victoria Atkins – The Times reports that Rishi will look to opt for a woman, given the current gender imbalance in cabinet. Atkins is the current Financial Secretary to the Treasury, and she has experience in the MoJ from her previous role as Prisons Minister. A successful barrister she would love this demanding brief.
• Lucy Frazer – Another former Prisons Minister tipped by the Times, Frazer is the Culture Secretary. This would be the second cabinet promotion in two months for Lucy, who has also previously worked as Solicitor General and in Justice. She has a history of replacing Raab in the MoJ, having done so as Undersecretary of State in 2018.
• Victoria Prentis – is also a Rishi-loyalist lawyer with cabinet experience. Sunak made Prentis Attorney General in October.
• Alex Chalk – A self-described “rising star”, Chalk is the token male amongst the favourites for the role. He also has a strong background in the MoJ. Chalk would fit right in round Rishi’s cabinet table, having resigned as Boris’s Solicitor General in July.
• Ed Argar – Currently a Minister of State in Justice, alongside Damian Hinds, either could be an option if Rishi wants a speedy resolution.

Place your bets…