The Sunday Guardian

SPiDeRMan GaVin UnPOPULaR ChOiCe FOR Uk DeFenCe

Gavin seems to have turned Westminste­r into a hybrid of House of Cards and Hogwarts.

- REUTERS

OGavin Williamson’s emergency appointmen­t as UK Defence Secretary has received a mixed reception. As the Prime Minister’s Chief Whip he is probably the gatekeeper of all the (Tory sex scandal and otherwise) secrets. Perhaps this put him in a strong position with Prime Minister Theresa May. It has even been suggested that it was Williamson that leaked the damaging spreadshee­t of alleged accusation­s against Tory politician­s. Nick Timothy, the previous Chief of Staff tweeted that May really rates Williamson, but many have been surprised that Penny Mordant, Harriet Baldwin, Tobias Ellwood, Rory Stew- art and Philip Dunne have been overlooked, all of whom have more relevant experience. Overall, the appointmen­t is deemed unpopular. It seems that the little loyalty An Iraqi Shia militia fighting Islamic State in Iraq near the border with Syria will also take on the jihadist group in the Syria border town of Albu Kamal, the militia’s spokesman said on Friday. The spokesman said the Iraqi the Prime Minister had left is weakened, the consequenc­es of which are unpredicta­ble; the rumours of a larger reshuffle have amounted to nothing. One Conservati­ve source said, “Without a leader putting party interest first, you have MPs putting self- interest first.”

Williamson is a Cameronite from the 2010 intake, he is known as a forensic networker and strategic opportunis­t; highlights of his fast track political career include three years as David Cameron’s parliament­ary private secretary, acting as Theresa May’s campaign manager and as Chief Whip signing the final deal with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which gave Theresa May the edge in forming government, in June 2017. resistance forces, a euphemism for Iran-backed Shi‘ite militias, would take part in the battle against Islamic State in Syria’s Albu Kamal because it borders Iraq, Al-Mayadin reported. On Friday Iraqi forces took the Iraqi border town of

There are tests ahead for Williamson in his new role. MP Johnny Mercer is leading a campaign to increase the still-capped pay levels of the armed forces; Williamson will have to battle with the treasury for substantia­l increases in defence funding to cover existing commitment­s and make future ones; he will be meeting James Mattis, a Secretary of State with superior military experience, and other Defence Ministers at the North Atlantic Council in Brussels next week.

Williamson is often referred to as “the assassin”. He keeps his pet tarantula Cronus on his desk, he seems to have turned Westminste­r into a hybrid of House of Cards and Hogwarts. There will be good viewing ahead as he settles into his seat at the top table. al-Qaim, near Albu Kamal, from Islamic State. The Syrian army is approachin­g Albu Kamal as part of their own offensive against the Islamic State enclave straddling the border between Syria and Iraq. Afghanista­n’s telecoms regulator wrote to internet service providers this week ordering them to block the messaging services WhatsApp and Telegram but it was not immediatel­y clear whether they had complied. Use of social media and mobile instant messaging services has exploded in Afghanista­n over recent years. Social media users and civil rights groups reacted with outrage to initial reports of the move and the letter sent by telecoms regulator ATRA was widely shared on social

 ??  ??
 ??  ?? William Gavinson
William Gavinson
 ??  ?? William’s pet, Tarantula Cronus.
William’s pet, Tarantula Cronus.

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