Williamson ‘had to resign’

NORTHERN Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-harris has said he “would never have used language like that” during his time as chief whip when asked about Sir Gavin Williamson.

Speaking to Kay Burley on Sky News, Mr Heaton-harris said: “He did something. He allegedly did something that is very... it was a very serious allegation, a very, very serious allegation against him.

“So, it was right to resign.”

When pressed on reports suggesting the Prime Minister knew about these allegations and still gave him the job, he said: “I haven’t heard or seen any evidence of that and, as you will recall, I was the Government chief whip for six months.”

On whether he would have ever used language like that, he said: “I would never have used language like that. That’s not my style, but maybe that’s why I’m not chief whip any more.”