‘I regret Cabinet job ended in resignation’
RISHI Sunak admitted yesterday he “regrets” bringing Sir GavinWilliamson back into the Cabinet, following his ally’s resignation over bullying claims.
The Prime Minister insisted he was unaware of “any of the specific concerns” when Sir Gavin was defence secretary and chief whip.
Sir Gavin, 46, is also facing calls to lose his knighthood over the accusations, which include allegedly telling a civil servant to “slit your throat”.
Mr Sunak’s limited denial effectively conceded he knew of a complaint by ex-chief whip Wendy Morton, who received expletive-laden texts from then backbencher Sir Gavin.
Sir Gavin, who had already been sacked from the Cabinet twice, bowed to pressure to quit as minister without portfolio on Tuesday, after the allegations piled up.
An ex-Ministry of Defence civil servant claimed Sir Gavin told him to “jump out of a window” and a Tory colleague accused him of “unethical and immoral” behaviour as chief whip.
At Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer asked Mr Sunak how the allegedly bullied official felt at hearing him welcome Sir Gavin’s resignation “with great sadness”. Mr Sunak replied: “Unequivocally, the behaviour complained of was unacceptable and it’s absolutely right that the Right Honourable gentleman has resigned.
“For the record, I did not know about any of the specific concerns relating to his conduct as secretary of state or chief whip that date back some years.
“I believe that people in public life should treat others with consideration and respect and those are the principles that this Government will stand by.”
He added: “I obviously regret appointing someone who has had to resign in the circumstances.
“But I think what the British people would like to know is that when situations like this arise, that they will be dealt with properly.” Sir
Keir said Sir Gavin’s reputation as a “pathetic bully” was “precisely why the PM gave him a job”. He asked: “What message does he think it sends when, rather than take on the bullies, he lines up alongside and thanks them for their loyalty?”
When he became Tory leader, Mr Sunak had been warned about Ms Morton’s complaint, which, it later emerged, centred on angry messages Sir Gavin sent about the lack of an invitation to the Queen’s funeral.
The PM’s press secretary said he was “made aware of a disagreement” but did not know details, nor the content of the messages.
No 10 said Sir Gavin, who denies the bullying claims, offered his resignation to Mr Sunak in a meeting on Tuesday night. Saying the furore was “becoming a distraction” for the Government, Sir Gavin insisted he was stepping back to “clear my name”. The Lib Dems urged the Forfeiture Committee, which advises on removing knighthoods, to consider stripping Sir Gavin of his title should he be found guilty
of bullying.