Timeline: How did Sir Gavin Williamson go from cabinet to kerb?
Sir Gavin Williamson’s third stint in the cabinet was by far his shortest.
He made his return to the government only two weeks ago, when Rishi Sunak appointed him as a Cabinet Office minister.
Once allegations that he had sent “abusive” text messages emerged, he was gone within 72 hours, returning to the backbenches for a third time in his parliamentary career.
Here’s how the former defence secretary and former education secretary also became a former Cabinet Office minister.
Saturday 5 November
Late in the evening, claims that Sir Gavin had sent expletive-laden texts to his fellow MP Wendy Morton when she was Liz Truss’s chief whip drop in an article on the Sunday Times website.
He had “lashed out” at his colleague in the messages, according to the report, claiming she had excluded him from attending the Queen’s funeral for political reasons and warning her “there is a price for everything”.
Damningly for Mr Sunak, it says Ms Morton had told the party the day before the prime minister took office that she wished to make a formal complaint.
Wendy Morton was the first woman to serve as chief whip
Sir Jake Berry, who lost his job as Tory chairman in Mr Sunak’s reshuffle, claims in a statement he had also told the prime minister and his incoming chief of staff that Ms Morton was submitting a complaint that day.
Number 10 refuses to respond to the claims.
Sunday 6 November
As questions mount over how much Mr Sunak knew of the allegations, Oliver Dowden, the chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, is sent out by Downing Street in his defence on the traditional Sunday political programmes.
He tells Sky News’ Sophy Ridge that Mr Sunak knew there was a “difficult relationship” between Sir Gavin and Ms Morton, but “wasn’t aware” of “specific allegations” until Saturday evening.
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Williamson had ‘difficult relationship with ex-chief whip’
Mr Dowden adds that Sir Gavin “regrets the language he used” and also suggests that a number of individuals had “a difficult relationship” with Ms Morton.
“These were sent in the heat of the moment expressing frustration,” he says. “It was a difficult time for the party. He now accepts that he shouldn’t have done it and he regrets doing so. Thankfully, we are in a better place now as a party.”
Mr Dowden insists Mr Sunak has full confidence in his minister.
That morning Labour calls for an “urgent independent investigation” into the appointment of Sir Gavin, with shadow climate secretary Ed Miliband warning against a “cover-up” over the allegations.
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‘Urgent investigation’ into Williamson needed
Speaking to Sophy Ridge, Mr Miliband says the matter “really calls into question Rishi Sunak’s judgement and the way he made decisions about his cabinet”, adding Sir Gavin’s reappointment was “not in the public interest”.
“There needs to be an urgent independent investigation into exactly what happened. We can’t have a cover-up, we can’t have a whitewash here,” he says.
Monday 7 November
Downing Street continues to back Sir Gavin. But another article in The Times raises further questions about his time as chief whip in 2016 under Theresa May.
A minister tells the paper that when she was on the backbenches and campaigning on an issue that was causing difficulties for the government, Sir Gavin raised details about her private life in an attempt to silence her – which she interpreted as a tacit threat.
Mr Sunak attends the COP27 climate conference in Egypt and reporters specifically ask about the texts Sir Gavin allegedly sent to Ms Morton.
The PM says it is “right” for an independent complaints investigation to take place into accusations “before making any decisions about the future”.
But he says he had made it “very clear that the language is not right [and] not acceptable”, adding: “That’s why I welcome the fact Gavin Williamson has expressed regret about that.”
Rishi Sunak criticises Sir Gavin’s language, but stands by him
Come Monday evening, another incendiary story drops in The Guardian.
A former civil servant who worked under Sir Gavin when he was defence secretary between 2017 and 2019 claims he told them to “slit your throat” and “jump out of the window” in what they felt was a sustained campaign of bullying.
The civil servant, who later left government, says Sir Gavin “deliberately demeaned and intimidated” them on a regular basis. They say they reported the incidents informally to the MoD’s head of human resources, but decided against making a formal complaint.
Sir Gavin releases a statement saying he strongly rejects the allegations and had “enjoyed good working relationships with the many brilliant officials I have worked with across government”.
Tuesday 8 November
In the morning, it is confirmed that rather than leaving the investigation to the Tory party, Ms Morton has referred the text messages to the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS), the parliamentary watchdog.
Downing Street again insists that the prime minister believes Sir Gavin’s account of the events, but a spokesman describes the civil servant’s allegations as “serious” and says it would consider “proper processes” before commenting further.
The spokesman hints Mr Sunak might not wait until the end of investigations to make a decision about Sir Gavin’s future, but confirms he had attended cabinet that morning.
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Williamson and his spider, Cronus, had ‘mystique’ about them
By early evening, a new allegation emerges on Channel 4 News – this time by Anne Milton, a former deputy chief whip who worked under Sir Gavin.
She tells the programme he “loved salacious gossip and would use it as leverage against MPs if the need arose” and also claims he used an MP’s financial situation as a source of leverage.
At about 7pm, the ex-civil servant tells Sky News they are going to raise a formal complaint to the ICGS too, saying Sir Gavin’s “words and actions had an extreme impact on my mental health”.
At 8.11pm, Sir Gavin resigns in a letter on Twitter.
He said he refuted the “characterisation” of the claims, but that the allegations were “becoming a distraction for the good work this government is doing for the British people” so he would step down and focus on clearing his name.
Sir Gavin posts his resignation letter on Twitter
World
Russia wants ‘quick peace’ in Ukraine and London is ‘head of those resisting it’, ambassador to UK tells Sky News
Russia wants “quick peace” in Ukraine and London is at the “head of those resisting” it, the Russian ambassador to the UK has told Sky News.
In an interview on The World With Yalda Hakim, Andrei Kelin accused the UK, France and other European nations of not wanting to end the war in Ukraine.
“We are prepared to negotiate and to talk,” he said. “We have our position. If we can strike a negotiated settlement… we need a very serious approach to that and a very serious agreement about all of that – and about security in Europe.”
Russian ambassador Andrei Kelin speaks to Yalda Hakim
US President Donald Trump held a surprise phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin last month, shocking America’s European allies. He went on to call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” and relations between the pair were left in tatters after a meeting in the Oval Office descended into a shouting match.
Days later, the US leader suspended military aid to Ukraine, though there were signs the relationship between the two leaders appeared to be on the mend following the contentious White House meeting last week, with Mr Trump saying he “appreciated” a letter from Mr Zelenskyy saying Kyiv was ready to sign a minerals agreement with Washington “at any time”.
In his interview with Sky News’ Yalda Hakim, Mr Kelin said he was “not surprised” the US has changed its position on Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in 2022, claiming Mr Trump “knows the history of the conflict”.
“He knows history and is very different from European leaders,” he added.
No doubt Russia is welcoming shift in world order
I’ve interviewed the Russian ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, on a number of occasions, at times the conversation has been tense and heated.
But today, I found a diplomat full of confidence and cautiously optimistic.
The optics of course have suddenly changed in Russia’s favour since Donald Trump was elected.
I asked him if Russia couldn’t believe its luck. “I would not exaggerate this too much,” he quipped.
Mr Kelin also “categorically” ruled out European troops on the ground and said the flurry of diplomatic activity and summits over the course of the past few weeks is not because Europeans want to talk to Moscow but because they want to present something to Mr Trump.
He appeared to relish the split the world is witnessing in transatlantic relations.
Of course the ambassador remained cagey about the conversations that have taken place between President Trump and Vladimir Putin.
There is no doubt however that Russia is welcoming what Mr Kelin says is a shift in the world order.
Peace deal ‘should recognise Russian advances’
The Russian ambassador said Moscow had told Washington it believed its territorial advances in Ukraine “should be recognised” as part of any peace deal.
“What we will need is a new Ukraine as a neutral, non-nuclear state,” he said. “The territorial situation should be recognised. These territories have been included in our constitution and we will continue to push that all forces of the Ukrainian government will leave these territories.”
Asked if he thought the Americans would agree to give occupied Ukrainian land to Russia, he said: “I don’t think we have discussed it seriously. [From] what I have read, the Americans actually understand the reality.”
Read more:
What you need to know from a monumental week in Ukraine
US ‘destroying’ world order by trying to meet Russia ‘halfway’
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In full: Russian ambassador’s interview with Sky’s Yalda Hakim
Moscow rules out NATO peacekeepers in Ukraine
He said Russia “categorically ruled out” the prospect of NATO peacekeepers on the ground in Ukraine – a proposal made by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron – saying “they have no rules of engagement” and so would just be “sitting in cities”.
“It’s senseless” and “not for reality,” Mr Kelin added.
He branded the temporary ceasefire raised by Mr Zelenskyy “a crazy idea”, and said: “We will never accept it and they perfectly are aware of that.
“We will only accept the final version, when we are going to sign it. Until then things are very shaky.”
He added: “We’re trying to find a resolution on the battlefield, until the US administration suggest something constructive.”
World
US ‘destroying’ international rules-based order by trying to meet Russia ‘halfway’, Ukraine’s UK ambassador warns
The United States is “finally destroying” the international rules-based order by trying to meet Russia “halfway”, Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK has warned.
Valerii Zaluzhnyi said Washington’s recent actions in relation to Moscow could lead to the collapse of NATO – with Europe becoming Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s next target.
“The failure to qualify actions of Russia as an aggression is a huge challenge for the entire world and Europe, in particular,” he told a conference at the Chatham House think tank.
Ukraine latest: ‘Watershed moment’ as Kremlin blasts Macron
“We see that it is not just the axis of evil and Russia trying to revise the world order, but the US is finally destroying this order.”
Valerii Zaluzhnyi. Pic: Reuters
Mr Zaluzhnyi, who took over as Kyiv’s ambassador to London in 2024 following three years as commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, also warned that the White House had “questioned the unity of the whole Western world” – suggesting NATO could cease to exist as a result.
It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy scrambles to repair relations with US President Donald Trump following a dramatic row between the two men in the Oval Office last week.
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Mr Trump signalled on Tuesday that tensions could be easing, telling Congress he had received a letter from Mr Zelenskyy saying he was ready to sign a peace deal “at any time”.
Zelenskyy and Trump during their extraordinary Oval Office row. Pic: Reuters
Read more:
New Zealand fires UK envoy for Trump comments
US stops sharing all intelligence with Ukraine
But on the same day, the US president ordered a sudden freeze on shipments of US military aid to Ukraine, and Washington has since paused intelligence sharing with Kyiv and halted cyber operations against Russia.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Mr Zaluzhnyi said the pause in cyber operations and an earlier decision by the US to oppose a UN resolution condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine were “a huge challenge for the entire world”.
He added that talks between the US and Russia – “headed by a war criminal” – showed the White House “makes steps towards the Kremlin, trying to meet them halfway”, warning Moscow’s next target “could be Europe”.
World
Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh being forced to fight for same military accused of genocide against their people
Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh is a sprawling mass of humanity.
It’s a sea of makeshift bamboo shelters, home to more than one million Rohingya refugees – a mainly Muslim minority from Rakhine state in Myanmar.
Some 700,000 fled their homeland back in 2017 – after the Myanmar military massacred thousands.
The army was accused of genocide by the United Nations.
The Rohingya refugees didn’t escape danger though.
Right now, violence is at its worst levels in the camps since 2017 and Rohingya people face a particularly cruel new threat – they’re being forced back to fight for the same Myanmar military accused of trying to wipe out their people.
A child at the refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar
Militant groups are recruiting Rohingya men in the camps, some at gunpoint, and taking them back to Myanmar to fight for a force that’s losing ground.
Jaker is just 19.
We’ve changed his name to protect his identity.
He says he was abducted at gunpoint last year by a group of nine men in Cox’s.
They tied his hands with rope he says and took him to the border where he was taken by boat with three other men to fight for the Myanmar military.
“It was heartbreaking,” he told me. “They targeted poor children. The children of wealthy families only avoided it by paying money.”
And he says the impact has been deadly.
“Many of our Rohingya boys, who were taken by force from the camps, were killed in battle.”
Jaker speaks to Sky’s Cordelia Lynch
An aerial view of the refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar
The situation in Cox’s is desperate.
People are disillusioned by poverty, violence and the plight of their own people and the civil war they ran from is getting worse.
In Rakhine, just across the border, there’s been a big shift in dynamics.
The Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic armed group has all but taken control of the state from the ruling military junta.
Both the military and the AA are accused of committing atrocities against Rohingya Muslims.
And whilst some Rohingya claim they’re being forced into the fray – dragged back to Myanmar from Bangladesh, others are willing to go.
Read more from Sky News:
Bangladesh leader reacts to ‘House of Mirrors’ prison
Inside Bangladesh’s ‘death squad’ jails
Sri Lanka rescues more than 100 people believed to be Rohingya refugees
Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar – where refugees arrive from Myanmar after crossing the Naf River
Some are so aggrieved with the AA, they’re willing to support their former persecutors.
Abu Zar is one of those willing to take up arms.
But not for the military or AA, he says.
Everyone praying in the mosque with him is prepared to go back to protect their own cause he says – not anyone else’s.
“We want to fight for our rights because we have been demanding justice for a long time. But the situation has become unbearable,” he tells me.
Abu Zar has said he is willing to take up arms for his own cause
It’s estimated between 3,000 and 5,000 Rohingya have joined armed groups from this camp.
But the fight they are joining has become increasingly bloody.
In a cramped shelter, we meet Safura.
Safura came under fire as she fled Myanmar
Safura’s son Aman had his foot blown off
Five days ago she managed to get out of Myanmar but she had to be carried part of the way.
Her legs are riddled with bullet wounds and the pain is severe.
Her son, Aman, who lies on the floor next to her, has had his foot blown off.
They were injured she said, during an attack on her family home in the middle of the night.
“They entered our house and shot all my family members. My husband and mother-in-law were killed on the spot.”
The military denies forcing Rohingya to the battlefield. But the camps tell a different story- one of surging violence and vulnerability.
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