The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
‘Williamson told civil servant to slit throat’
Sir Gavin Williamson allegedly told a senior civil servant to “slit your throat” in what they claimed was a bullying campaign while he was defence secretary.
Rishi Sunak is under increasing pressure over his decision to bring his ally back into government after The Guardian reported fresh incendiary claims about his conduct.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) official told the newspaper Mr Williamson made the remarks in front of colleagues in a meeting, and on another occasion told them to “jump out of the window”.
The Cabinet Office minister said he “strongly” rejects the allegation and insisted he has “enjoyed good working relationships” with officials.
But the allegations, including that Mr Williamson “deliberately demeaned and intimidated” the civil servant on a regular basis, are bound to add to the calls for his sacking.
The prime minister is under fire for bringing Mr Williamson back into the government when he knew he was under investigation for allegedly bullying former chief whip Wendy Morton.
In a series of expletiveladen texts exposed over the weekend, Mr Williamson accused Ms Morton of seeking to “punish” MPs out of favour with then-premier Liz Truss by excluding them from the Queen’s funeral, warning: “There is a price for everything.”
Mr Williamson, who was sacked as defence secretary in 2019, issued a statement denying the broad allegations in The Guardian’s report but did not specifically deny using the language alleged.
“I strongly reject this allegation and have enjoyed good working relationships with the many brilliant officials I have worked with across government,” he said.
“No specific allegations have ever been brought to my attention.”
The newspaper said the official, who later left government, complained to the MoD’s head of human resources about the alleged incidents, but it was understood the Cabinet Office’s propriety and ethics team has not received a complaint about Mr Williamson’s conduct towards officials.
A Cabinet Office spokesman said: “The Cabinet Office has not received notice of any formal complaints about Gavin Williamson’s behaviour from his time at the Ministry of Defence or any other department.”
Labour Party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds said: “These allegations are extremely serious and speak to the toxic culture at the top of the Conservative Party.”
Earlier yesterday, Mr Sunak was defying calls to sack Mr Williamson despite conceding his messages to Ms Morton were “not acceptable”.
The prime minister said he would not be “passing judgment” until after an “independent complaints investigation”, understood to be the internal investigation launched by the Tory party.
“I want to see the results of that, obviously, but I’ve been very clear that language is not right, it’s not acceptable,” he told broadcasters at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt.
“There’s an independent complaints process that’s being conducted at the moment. It would be right to let that process conclude before making any decisions about the future.”
Former Conservative Party chairman Sir Jake Berry said he informed Mr Sunak on the day he took the reins as Tory leader that Ms Morton had lodged a formal complaint.
Mr Sunak went ahead with the appointment the next day, with Downing Street saying Mr Williamson would make an “important contribution” to government.
Mr Sunak has insisted he was unaware of the details of the exchange at the time he brought Mr Williamson back into the government.
Asked yesterday if Mr Sunak had full confidence in the minister, his official spokesman said: “Yes.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the twice-sacked minister is “clearly not suitable” for the job.
Liberal Democrat chief whip Wendy Chamberlain said he would be fired, as “in any other workplace, someone who behaved as he did would have been rightly dismissed for gross misconduct”.