Prime minister’s judgment in making Williamson minister called into question
Good morning. Rishi Sunak is in Egypt, attending the Cop27 climate summit, in his first overseas visit as prime minister. And, like all prime ministers, he is learning that, although you can take the prime minister out of Westminster, you can never leave it behind, because domestic political hassle continues to clog up your intray, even on a day when you want to focus on international issues and hobnobbing with world leaders. One such problem for Sunak is Sir Gavin Williamson.
On Friday and over the weekend it emerged that Sunak had appointed Williamson a Cabinet Office minister, with the right to attend cabinet, even though the Conservative party is considering a complaint about him from Wendy Morton. She says he sent her offensive, threatening messages when she was chief whip, because he was angry about not being invited to attend the Queen’s funeral.
They were not acceptable or right. It was a difficult time for our party at the time, but regardless, people always should be treated with respect.
I am glad Gavin has expressed regret. There is an independent complaint process which is running, its right and reasonable we let that conclude.
The Tory MP, who told the Conservative party at the weekend that she was willing to discuss the matter, said that Williamson had called her into his office when he was chief whip in 2016.
At the time she was campaigning on an issue that was causing the government difficulty. During the meeting Williamson is said to have raised a sensitive issue about her private life, which she interpreted as a tacit threat.
