Accent is on ambition as CFI hosts Williamson
A CONSERVATIVE Friends of Israel reception on Tuesday evening offered the first opportunity for community members to hear from Gavin Williamson, the ambitious new Defence Secretary. Barely 72 hours earlier he had been telling national newspaper readers about his regret over kissing a colleague at the fireplace company he worked for 14 years ago. The episode reportedly almost cost him his marriage.
An interesting week then for him to turn up cracking jokes about the attractions of female IDF soldiers.
Mr Williamson’s North Yorkshire accent — he was born in Scarborough — is intriguing on the ear. He’s a 41-yearold with the voice of a 70-year-old, the pattern
Gavin Williamson of which is best described as being a cross between William Hague and Alan Bennett.
The former Tory Chief Whip did say all the right things about cooperation between the British and Israeli militaries and was afforded a warm round of applause.
It is said he is angling to be Prime Minister, perhaps sooner rather than later. Certainly he was keen to work the room, making sure plenty of CFI supporters had a chance to meet him and no doubt rush home to tell their friends.
Stephen Crabb, the group’s relatively new chairman, was also there, making one of his first public speaking appearances after lying low following his own sex texts scandal. The evening, unlike CFI’s preChristmas annual lunch, was not a major event. But it attracted a decent turn out, including a smattering of middle-to-low ranking Tory MPs on a busy night in Westminster.
If nothing else, it was another step in the rehabilitation of CFI’s reputation following the damaging Priti Patel affair.
Claire Kober’s departure as Haringey council leader could, at first glance, be dismissed as a minor local matter.
In fact, it reveals far more. A successful, female leader forced out by what she called “sexism, bullying, undemocratic behaviour and outright personal attacks” from elements within her own Labour Party. A good friend to the Charedi community in the north London borough, Ms Kober’s loss will be felt by many people.
Her almost inevitable replacement by a hard-left candidate loyal to Jeremy Corbyn will probably be replicated on other Labour councils
Ex-Chief Whip said all the right things about UK-Israel cooperation’
nationally.
What does that say about the state of British politics — and its future?
This week I met Conservative MP Daniel Kawczynski for the first time. At 6ft 8in he is the country’s tallest MP. At 5ft 3in I am quite probably the country’s shortest political editor.
Thankfully the meeting took place with us sitting down and there is no photographic evidence.