Sunak admits to Sir Gavin ‘regrets’
RISHI Sunak conceded that he “regrets” bringing Sir Gavin Williamson back into the Cabinet, as he faces pressure in the wake of his ally’s resignation over bullying allegations.
The Prime Minister insisted yesterday that he was unaware of “any of the specific concerns” relating to Sir Gavin’s tenure as defence secretary and chief whip, but his limited denial effectively conceded he was aware of a complaint by former chief whip Wendy Morton, who received expletive-laden texts from Sir Gavin while he was a backbench MP.
Sir Gavin, who had already been twice sacked in disgrace from the Cabinet, bowed to pressure to resign as minister without portfolio on Tuesday evening, after the allegations piled up. A civil servant, then in the Ministry of Defence, alleged that Sir Gavin told him to “slit your throat”, before a Tory colleague alleged “unethical and immoral” behaviour while Sir Gavin was chief whip.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer used Prime Minister’s Questions to pressure Mr Sunak over how the civil servant felt, upon hearing the Prime Minister welcome the resignation “with great sadness”.
Mr Sunak responded: “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.”
Mr Sunak’s denial was limited to the allegations not focusing on Ms Morton’s complaint. The Prime Minister 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, and that’s why it is absolutely right that he resigned and it’s why it is absolutely right that there is an investigation to look into these matters properly.”
Sir Keir argued that Sir Gavin’s reputation as a “pathetic bully” was “precisely why the Prime Minister gave him a job”. The Labour leader said: “What message does he think it sends when, rather than take on the bullies, he lines up alongside and thanks them for their loyalty?”
Mr Sunak had been warned when he became Tory leader about Ms Morton’s complaint, which it later emerged focused on angry messages Sir Gavin sent as he complained about the lack of an invitation to the Queen’s funeral in September.
The Prime Minister’s press secretary said he was “made aware of a disagreement” between the pair but was “not aware of the detail of that disagreement” and “he was not aware of the content of the messages”. She said Mr Sunak had “no awareness” at the time of the subsequent allegations that would emerge, first when The Guardian reported that the civil servant alleged Sir Gavin told him to “slit your throat” and, on a separate occasion said “jump out of the window”.