PM facing backlash after she installs ally as minister’s replacement
THERESA May faced a Tory backlash last night after installing one of her closest allies as Defence Secretary despite his total lack of ministerial experience.
Chief Whip Gavin Williamson was handed the huge promotion as the Prime Minister tried to shore up her position in the wake of Sir Michael Fallon’s shock resignation on Wednesday night.
The move sparked controversy because Mr Williamson played a key role in Sir Michael’s removal after learning of allegations made by Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom.
There was also alarm at Mr Williamson’s relative lack of experience. Although he has spent more than a year as Chief Whip he has never been a minister at any level.
Sarah Wollaston, Tory chairman of the Commons health committee, suggested Mr Williamson should have advised the PM to pick a better qualified candidate.
She said: ‘Part of the role of the chief whip is to advise the Prime Minister on the most experienced and suitable person to take on such an important job as defence secretary. I think it would be worth reflecting whether there were other more experienced and suitable people for that role.’
Former Army chief Lord Dannatt said he was not the ‘best choice’, but ut the PM was entitled to make the e ‘heavily political’ appointment.
In private, other ministers were e scathing about the appointment.
Mrs May has relied heavily on Mr Williamson since taking power and appointed his ally Julian Smith to o replace him as Chief Whip.
Some MPs last night claimed Mr r Smith would use the role to lay the e groundwork for a future leadership p bid by Mr Williamson.
Former minister Esther McVey was s appointed as Deputy Chief Whip and d promised to ‘bring a feminine touch’ h’ to the male-dominated whips’ office.
One minister described Mr Williamson’s appointment as ‘ the most unpopular political decision I have ever known’, adding: ‘He’s abused his position to promote himself – and she is so weak that she’s let him do it.’
Another Tory MP said: ‘She had a golden opportunity to do the right thing and appoint the right people to the right jobs. She’s just blown it and exposed herself as weaker than any of us thought. She’s being controlled by young men in suits. I now despair.’
One female MP described Mr Williamson as a ‘self-serving ****’.
A former minister said: ‘It’s a bizarre appointment from somebody who’s so shell-shocked she doesn’t know which direction to turn in and so is listening to the person she just likes rather than having a view herself.’ Mrs May pulled the plug on Sir Michael’s career Pet: Gavin Williamson’s tarantula after crisis talks following Mrs Leadsom’s intervention.
The move came 36 hours after revelations that he had put his hand on the knee of journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer 15 years ago. A Tory source said Mr Williamson told Mrs May that Sir Michael might have to go because of allegations yet to be made public.
Downing Street declined to comment on his role but insisted that he had not been involved in the decision about Sir Michael’s replacement.
Some Tories insisted his appointment was not universally unpopular and was a ‘very good call’ by the PM.
Tory MP and former Army officer Bob Stewart said: ‘Yes, he won’t know much about defence.
‘But the Armed Forces won’t mind too much because he will listen, take advice, then make his own decision. I think th that’s what we need. This guy has ha got ability. He’ll start slow, but he’ll he accelerate.’
Chief whips gather information ab about MPs’ indiscretions and misdem meanours, not only to try to pre-empt po potential scandals but also to use it to ‘p ‘persuade’ MPs to fall into line.
They need feline cunning and ruthle lessness. Mr Williamson – who he ke keeps his pet Mexican tarantula, C Cronus, in a glass box on his desk – de demonstrated that he had both last m month when he killed a plot against M Mrs May after her disastrous party co conference speech.
Living up to his nickname of ‘ the ba baby-faced assassin’, he immediately outed the ringleader – former Tory chairman Grant Shapps – in the Press. Tory MPs loyal to May then queued up to denounce Mr Shapps publicly. The attempted coup fizzled out and Mr Shapps was utterly humiliated.
‘It was a brilliant operation,’ one Cabinet minister said.
Softly- spoken Mr Williamson has joked about his role as Chief Whip and negotiating technique. ‘I don’t very much believe in the stick,’ he says, ‘but it’s amazing what can be achieved with a sharpened carrot.’
Another supporter said: ‘ His easy smile, Yorkshire accent and genial quality don’t quite manage to mask a first-class political brain,’ one minister has said.
‘People might think him a callow youngster from the sticks. That would be a very, very grave mistake.’
‘A first-class political brain’