A senior civil servant claims Gavin Williamson told them to ‘slit your throat’ in what they felt was a campaign of bullying
Mel Stride, the work and pensions secretary, drew the Downing Street short straw this morning and was on the airwaves having to defend Sir Gavin Williamson, as well as taking questions on other matters. “Defend” is probably the wrong word, because Stride’s support for his colleague was half-hearted at best, and in key respects he cut him loose. Here are the key points.
Stride said it would have been “utterly, utterly unacceptable” if Williamson had told a senior civil servant to “slit your throat” and “jump out of the window”. He told Sky News:
If that is the case, that is utterly, utterly unacceptable, but at the moment it is in the realm of media speculation.
Stride confimed that Williamson’s messages to Wendy Morton were now the subject of a parliamentary investigation.
Stride said that a decision about Williamson’s future could be taken once the inquiry was over. He also suggested there could be further inquiries. He said:
I think the important thing we do now is not to start intervening … and opining on who’s right and wrong or what may or may not have happened, but to wait for the results of that investigation.
And then when we have that, and any other investigation that may be triggered in the meantime, then I think we can take stock and come to a firm conclusion.
Stride stressed that no minister was unsackable.
Stride said that Williamson, a former chief whip, deserved a seat at the cabinet table because of his understanding of Tory MPs. He told Times Radio:
I think Gavin is somebody who … has particular talents and a particular understanding of the parliamentary party.
Stride said that he “suspects” Williamson will still be a minister at Christmas.
