Rishi Sunak’s most loyal friend in politics, his deputy Prime Minister and justice secretary, Dominic Raab, resigned from the government on Friday over bullying allegations lodged by as many as 24 civil servants.

There is little doubt that Rishi has been wounded, perhaps not mortally but grievously nevertheless, by his best friend’s departure.

For those outside the UK who want to understand what is going on, it is best to watch a few episodes of the TV series, Yes Minister, and take in the essential truth of what the permanent private secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby, is saying — which is that politicians like Jim Hacker come and go but ultimately it is powerful civil servants like him who call the shots.

And this is what Raab is claiming — he believes he has paid the price for urging civil servants to do their work.

He accepts he might have been a bit direct with them but insists he did not bully anyone.

The reality is that a number of civil servants ganged up on Raab from his time as Brexit secretary under Theresa May and foreign secretary under Boris Johnson and gave a very negative account of his behaviour to the senior lawyer, Adam Tolley KC, appointed by Rishi at Raab’s suggestion to investigate the allegations.

Tolley’s report was handed over to Rishi on Thursday but Raab resigned on Friday anticipating the Prime Minister would probably have no option but to ask him to leave the government.