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
An Israeli delegation is heading to Qatar for indirect talks with Hamas on a possible hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza.
The development comes ahead of a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump in Washington DC on Monday aimed at pushing forward peace efforts.
The US leader has been increasing pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas to secure a permanent ceasefire and an end to the 21-month-long war in Gaza.
Smoke rises in Gaza following an explosion. Pic: Reuters
Mr Trump said on Tuesday on social media that Israel had agreed “to the necessary conditions to finalise” a deal on a truce.
And Hamas, which runs the coastal Palestinian territory, said on Friday it has responded to the US-backed proposal in a “positive spirit”.
So what is in the plan?
The plan is for an initial 60-day ceasefire that would include a partial release of hostages held by the militant group in exchange for more humanitarian supplies being allowed into Gaza.
The proposed truce calls for talks on ending the war altogether.
The war in Gaza began after Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage. Dozens of hostages have since been released or rescued by Israeli forces, while 50 remain in captivity, including about 30 who Israel believes are dead.
The proposal would reportedly see about half of the living hostages and about half of the dead hostages returned to Israel over 60 days, in five separate releases.
Eight living hostages would be freed on the first day and two released on the 50th day, according to an Arab diplomat from one of the mediating countries, it is reported.
Five dead hostages would be returned on the seventh day, five more on the 30th day and eight more on the 60th day.
That would leave 22 hostages still held in Gaza, 10 of them believed to be alive. It is not clear whether Israel or Hamas would determine who is to be released.
Hamas has sought guarantees that the initial truce would lead to a total end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
A Hamas official has said Mr Trump has guaranteed that the ceasefire will extend beyond 60 days if necessary to reach a peace deal, but there is no confirmation from the US of such a guarantee.
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Contractors allege colleagues ‘fired on Palestinians’
Possible challenges ahead
And in a sign of the potential challenges still facing the two sides, a Palestinian official from a militant group allied with Hamas said concerns remained.
The concerns were over humanitarian aid, passage through the Rafah crossing in southern Israel to Egypt and clarity over a timetable for Israeli troop withdrawals.
Hamas’s “positive” response to the proposal had slightly different wording on three issues around humanitarian aid, the status of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) inside Gaza and the language around guarantees beyond the 60-day ceasefire, a source with knowledge of the negotiations revealed.
But the source told Sky News: “Things are looking good.”
The Times of Israel reported Hamas has proposed three amendments to the proposed framework.
According to a source, Hamas wants the agreement to say that talks on a permanent ceasefire will continue until an agreement is reached; that aid will fully resume through mechanisms backed by the United Nations and other international aid organisations; and that the IDF withdraws to positions it maintained before the collapse of the previous ceasefire in March.
Mr Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that changes sought by Hamas to the ceasefire proposal were “not acceptable to Israel”.
However, his office said the delegation would still fly to Qatar to “continue efforts to secure the return of our hostages based on the Qatari proposal that Israel agreed to”.
Read more:
‘Two security workers injured after grenades thrown at aid site’
The man in the room acting as backchannel for Hamas in negotiations with US
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Another potential challenge is that Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly said Hamas must be disarmed, which is a demand the militant group has so far refused to discuss.
Hamas has said it is willing to free all the hostages in exchange for a full withdrawal of Israeli troops and an end to the war in Gaza.
Israel rejects that offer, saying it will agree to end the war if Hamas surrenders, disarms and goes into exile – something that the group refuses.
Previous negotiations have stalled over Hamas demands of guarantees that further negotiations would lead to the war’s end, while Mr Netanyahu has insisted Israel would resume fighting to ensure the group’s destruction.
They rose to their feet in ecstatic surprise, shouting “heydar, heydar” – a Shia victory chant.
This was the first public appearance of their supreme leader since Israel began attacking their country.
He emerged during evening prayers in his private compound. He said nothing but looked stern and resolute as he waved to the crowd.
He has spent the last weeks sequestered in a bunker, it is assumed, for his safety following numerous death threats from Israel and the US.
His re-emergence suggests a return to normality and a sense of defiance that we have witnessed here on the streets of Tehran too.
Earlier, we had filmed as men in black marched through the streets of the capital to the sound of mournful chants and the slow beat of drums, whipping their backs with metal flails.
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Defiance on streets of Tehran
This weekend they mark the Shia festival of Ashura as they have for 14 centuries. But this year has poignant significance for Iranians far more than most.
The devout remember the betrayal and death of Imam Hussein as if it happened yesterday. We filmed men and women weeping as they worshipped at the Imamzadeh Saleh Shrine in northern Tehran.
The armies of the Caliph Yazid killed the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad in the seventh-century Battle of Karbala.
Shiite Muslims mark the anniversary every year and reflect on the virtue it celebrates, of resistance against oppression and injustice.
But more so than ever in the wake of Israel and America’s attacks on their country.
The story is one of prevailing over adversity and deception. A sense of betrayal is keenly felt here among people and officials.
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Many Iranians believe they were lured into pursuing diplomacy as part of a ruse by the US.
Iran believed it was making diplomatic progress in talks with America it hoped could lead to a deal. Then Israel launched its attacks and, instead of condemning them, the US joined in.
Death to Israel chants resounded outside the mosque in skies which were filled for 12 days with the sounds of Israeli jets. There is a renewed sense of defiance here.
One man told us: “The lesson to be learned from Hussein is not to give in to oppression even if it is the most powerful force in the world.”
A woman was dismissive about the US president. “I don’t think about Trump, nobody likes him. He always wants to attack too many countries.”
Pictures on billboards nearby draw a line between Imam Hussein’s story and current events. The seventh-century imam on horseback alongside images of modern missiles and drones from the present day.
Other huge signs remember the dead. Iran says almost 1,000 people were killed in the strikes, many of them women and children.
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Officially Iran is projecting defiance but not closing the door to diplomacy.
Government spokeswoman Dr Fatemeh Mohajerani told Sky News that Israel should not even think about attacking again.
“We are very strong in defence and as state officials have announced, this time Israel will receive an even stronger response compared to previous times,” she said.
“We hope that Israel will not make such a mistake.”
But there is also a hint of conciliation: Senior Iranian officials have told Sky News that back-channel efforts are under way to explore new talks with the US.
Israel had hoped its attacks could topple the Iranian leadership. That proved unfounded, the government is in control here.
For many Iranians, it seems quite the opposite happened – the 12-day war has brought them closer together.
To the sound of mournful chants and the slow beat of drums, they march, whipping their backs with metal flails.
It is an ancient ceremony going back almost 14 centuries – the Shia commemoration of Ashura.
But this year in particular has poignant significance for Iranians.
The devout remember the betrayal and death of the Imam Hussein as if it happened yesterday.
Iranians gather ahead of Ashura
We filmed men and women weep as they worshipped at the Imamzadeh Saleh Shrine in northern Tehran.
The grandson of the Prophet Muhammad was killed by the armies of the Caliph Yazid in the seventh century Battle of Karbala.
Shia Muslims mark the anniversary every year and reflect on the virtue it celebrates – of resistance against oppression and injustice. But more so than ever this year, in the wake of Israel and America’s attacks on their country.
The story is one of prevailing over adversity and deception. A sense of betrayal is keenly felt here by people and officials.
Men and women weeped as they worshipped at the Imamzadeh Saleh Shrine
Many Iranians believe they were lured into pursuing diplomacy as part of a ruse by the US.
Iran believed it was making diplomatic progress in talks with America, which it hoped could lead to a deal. Then Israel launched its attacks and, instead of condemning them, the US joined in.
“Death to Israel” chants resounded outside the mosque in skies that for 12 days were filled with the sounds of Israeli jets.
There is a renewed sense of defiance here.
One man told us: “The lesson to be learned from Hussein is not to give in to oppression, even if it is the most powerful force in the world.”
‘I don’t think about Trump. Nobody likes him,’ one woman tells Sky News
A woman was dismissive about the US president.
“I don’t think about Trump. Nobody likes him. He always wants to attack too many countries.”
Pictures on billboards nearby link Imam Hussein’s story and current events. They show the seventh century imam on horseback alongside images of modern missiles and drones from the present day.
Other huge signs remember the dead. Iran says almost 1,000 people were killed in the strikes, many of them women and children.
Officially Iran is projecting defiance, but not closing the door to diplomacy.
Government spokeswoman Dr Fatemeh Mohajerani told Sky News that Israel should not even think about attacking again.
“We are very strong in defence, and as state officials have announced, this time Israel will receive an even stronger response compared to previous times. We hope that Israel will not make such a mistake.”
Dr Fatemeh Mohajerani said it would be a mistake for Israel to attack again
But there is also a hint of conciliation. Senior Iranian officials have told Sky News back-channel efforts are under way to explore new talks with the US.
Israel had hoped its attacks could topple the Iranian leadership. Those hopes proved unfounded. The government is in control here.
For many Iranians it seems quite the opposite happened – the 12-day war has brought them closer together.
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