Sir Gavin Williamson resigns after allegations of bullying
Sir Gavin Williamson has resigned from government over accusations of bullying, saying he will “clear [his] name of any wrongdoing”.
His departure came shortly after an ex-civil servant, who claimed Sir Gavin told them to “slit your throat”, made a formal complaint against the Cabinet Office minister.
In his resignation letter that he shared on Twitter, Sir Gavin said he “refutes the characterisation of these claims”, but that the allegations were “becoming a distraction for the good work this government is doing for the British people”.
Politics live: Williamson says allegations were ‘becoming a distraction’
As a result, he had “decided to step back from government” and would “fully with the complaints process”.
In his response, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he accepted the resignation “with great sadness”, but added: “I support your decision to step back and understand why you have taken it.”
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said the events had shown “yet another Tory government has descended into chaos”.
Accusations against Sir Gavin came to light over the weekend when reports claimed he had sent abusive texts to former chief whip Wendy Morton, complaining he had been excluded from the Queen’s funeral.
Ms Morton made a complaint to the Conservative Party about the messages, but earlier today confirmed she was reporting him to the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS), parliament’s independent watchdog.
On Monday, a further allegation surfaced, with a former Ministry of Defence official saying Sir Gavin had told them to “slit your throat” and, on another occasion, “jump out of the window” in what they called a sustained campaign of bullying.
Earlier, that ex-civil servant confirmed they too would be going to the ICGS as the incidents had an “extreme impact” on their mental health.
Writing to Mr Sunak, who appointed him to his new cabinet just two weeks ago and had stood by his minister throughout the week, Sir Gavin said: “As you know, there is an ongoing complaints process concerning text messages I sent to a colleague [Ms Morton]. I am complying with this process and have apologised to the recipient for those messages.
“Since then there have been other allegations made about my past conduct [the ex-civil servant]. I refute the characterisation of these claims but I recognise these are becoming a distraction for the good work this government is doing for the British people.
“I have therefore decided to step back from government so that I can comply fully with the complaints process that is underway and clear my name of any wrongdoing.”
He added that it was “with real sadness” that he offered his resignation, but that he would offer Mr Sunak his “full and total support from the backbenches”, and was “proud” to have worked for his government.
Writing in response, Mr Sunak said Sir Gavin’s “commitment to successive Conservative governments and the party over the years has been unwavering”.
And after saying he supported the decision, the PM added: “I would like to thank you for your personal support and loyalty. I know you will continue to represent your constituents with diligence and care.”
Labour’s Ms Rayner claimed Mr Sunak had appointed Sir Gavin “with full knowledge of serious allegations about his conduct and repeatedly expressed confidence in him”, adding the events of the past weak had been “a damning reflection of a weak prime minister”.
She said: “This is yet another example of Rishi Sunak’s poor judgement and weak leadership. It is clear that he is trapped by the grubby backroom deals he made to dodge a vote, and is incapable of putting country before party.
Sir Gavin served as Theresa May’s chief whip from 2016 and then as defence secretary from November 2017 until May 2019, but was fired over a row around a leak from government.
He was hired back by Boris Johnson as education secretary two months later, but was again ousted in September 2021 after much criticism of his handling of the brief during the pandemic.
Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said: “This should be the third and final time Gavin Williamson is forced out of the Cabinet.
“Rishi Sunak has serious questions to answer about why he appointed Gavin Williamson, then stood by him instead of sacking him. His promise to lead a government of integrity has now been left in tatters.”
A woman has been filmed cutting yellow ribbons tied to a gate in London, put up in commemoration of Israeli hostages.
When confronted by two bystanders near the gate in Muswell Hill, north London, the woman said: “I’m not committing a crime.
“If I am, then call the police and you let them know that you have an issue with this.”
In the video, a man branded the woman “a disgusting little human being,” to which she replied: “I think condoning genocide is disgusting.”
The bystander asked her: “So we’re condoning genocide?”
The woman then appeared to point at the ribbons and said: “That’s what this is.”
October 7 anniversary latest: Families demand answers
Pic: X/@mirandalevycopy
The yellow ribbon has been used as a symbol of the plight of those taken captive since the 1979 US-Iranian hostage crisis, and has become synonymous with the hostages held in Gaza since 7 October 2023.
The ribbons are used as part of the ‘Bring Them Home’ campaign, which was introduced to raise awareness of the hostages’ plight and help amplify calls for the unconditional release of those still held by Hamas.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Two years on from October 7 attacks
The Metropolitan Police told Sky News: “Officers have stepped up reassurance patrols in the Muswell Hill area, following reports that yellow ribbons were removed from fence poles.”
A spokesperson said the force was made aware of a video circulating online which “appears to show a woman removing the ribbons in Muswell Hill” at 4.25pm on Monday.
“Officers attended the location and are reviewing the footage to determine whether any offences, including hate crime or criminal damage, have been committed. Enquiries remain ongoing,” the spokesperson added.
Officers are asking anyone with information to contact the force.
Read more from Sky News:
Two lives torn apart by October 7
Israel deports Gaza aid flotilla activists
The incident happened just a day before the second anniversary of the October 7 attack, when Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 251 back to Gaza as hostages.
Israel says 48 hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
Gaza’s health ministry says Israel’s offensive has killed more than 67,000 people in the region since 7 October 2023. It does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures, but says more than half of those killed are women and children.
Ineos, the chemicals group founded by Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has hit out at the government after cutting a fifth of the workforce at a factory in Hull.
The company said 60 skilled jobs were going at the Acetyls factory “as a direct result of sky-high energy costs and anti-competitive trade practices, as importers ‘dump’ product into the UK and European markets”.
It called on the UK government and European Commission to impose trade tariffs on China, complaining that a lack of action to date had resulted in “dirt cheap” carbon-heavy imports flooding the market, making its products uncompetitive.
Money latest: Biggest pension regrets of retirees revealed
Ineos said the US had protected its manufacturing base through effective tariffs and warned that further jobs would be lost across Europe unless the authorities followed suit.
The company, founded by Sir Jim in 1998, is Europe’s largest producer of essential chemicals for a range of products including aspirin and paracetamol, adhesives and industrial coatings.
It recently invested £30m to switch its Hull plant energy source from natural gas to hydrogen. Ineos claimed Chinese competitors were emitting up to eight times more carbon dioxide than its UK operations.
The Saltend plant in Hull. Pic: Ineos
“This is a textbook case of the UK and Europe sleepwalking into deindustrialisation,” the firm’s statement said.
“Ineos has invested heavily at Hull to cut CO₂, yet we’re being undercut by China and the US while left wide open by a complete absence of tariff protection.
“If governments don’t act now on energy, carbon and trade, we will keep losing factories, skills and jobs. And once these plants shut, they never come back.”
A Government spokesperson responded: “We know this is a tough time for our chemicals industry, who are paying the fossil fuel penalty, with wholesale gas costs remaining 75% above their levels before Russia invaded Ukraine.
“Our modern Industrial Strategy is slashing electricity costs by up to 25% for sectors including chemicals, and the UK’s independent Trade Remedies Authority has the power to investigate the impact of cheap imports if requested by industry.
“We recognise this will be difficult for affected workers and their families, and we continue to engage with Ineos and the wider sector to explore potential solutions that will ensure a viable chemicals industry in the UK.”
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024