Calls for ‘urgent independent investigation’ as shadow minister says reappointment of Gavin Williamson ‘not in the public interest’
Ed Miliband has called for an “urgent independent investigation” into the reappointment of Sir Gavin Williamson who faces bullying allegations.
The new Cabinet Office minister allegedly sent abusive text messages to ex-chief whip Wendy Morton complaining that he and other colleagues had been excluded from the Queen’s funeral for political reasons.
Speaking on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme, Labour’s shadow climate secretary warned against a “cover-up” or a “whitewash” over the allegations relating to Sir Gavin.
Mr Miliband said the matter “really calls into question Rishi Sunak’s judgment and the way he made decisions about his cabinet”, adding Sir Gavin’s reappointment was “not in the public interest”.
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He continued: “We already know about the whole Suella Braverman issue: being reappointed six days after she resigned.
“It was very noticeable… that Oliver Dowden couldn’t deny that Rishi Sunak knew about those issues to do with potential bullying against Wendy Morton, the chief whip, by Gavin Williamson and yet he reappointed him.
“What it says is that Rishi Sunak was making decisions simply in his own narrow short-term interest as far as the Conservative Party leadership was concerned, not the national interest.
“And 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.
“What did Rishi Sunak know? When did he know it? What did Gavin Williamson do and what are the implications of that?”
Speaking to Sophy Ridge earlier in the programme, Oliver Dowden said the PM knew there was a “difficult relationship” between Sir Gavin and the-then chief whip, but “wasn’t aware” of “specific allegations” until “last night”.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said the PM still has confidence in Sir Gavin – who was appointed as a Cabinet Office minister in the recent reshuffle – and that there are no current plans to remove him from his post.
Mr Dowden added that Sir Gavin “regrets the language he used” and also suggested that a number of individuals had “a difficult relationship” with Ms Morton.
Screenshots leaked to The Sunday Times appear to show expletive-laden messages from the South Staffordshire MP, including a warning that “there is a price for everything”.
Another message reads “think very poor how [Privy Councillors] who aren’t favoured have been excluded from the funeral”.
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Miliband calls for bullying review
A source confirmed to Sky News that the contents of the messages were accurate.
Asked about the allegations, Mr Dowden told Sky News: “He (Mr Sunak) was aware that there was a difficult relationship between the chief whip and a number of backbenchers, of which Gavin Williamson was one.”
Mr Dowden said that Sir Gavin regretted sending the messages to Ms Morton at what had been a “difficult time” for the Conservative Party.
“These were sent in the heat of the moment expressing frustration. 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 continued: “He shouldn’t have sent those messages. And he says that he regrets it. But of course, the prime minister continues to have confidence in Gavin Williamson as a minister.”
‘Dowden’s casual defence of Williamson is just wrong’
Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries dismissed Mr Dowden’s defence of Sir Gavin.
“Oliver Dowden stated Williamson’s behaviour excusable because he had difficult relationship with Morton. Any woman would have same with any man who tried to bully, threaten and intimidate her. Oliver Dowden’s casual defence of Williamson is just wrong and totally indefensible,” she posted on social media.
Former chairman of the Conservative Party, Sir Jake Berry, has said he told Mr Sunak a bullying complaint had been made against Sir Gavin a day before he entered Number 10.
Sir Gavin has been approached for comment.
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Reshuffle: Who’s in, who’s out?
The Sunday Times quoted the Cabinet Office minister as saying: “I of course regret getting frustrated about the way colleagues and I felt we were being treated. I am happy to speak with Wendy and I hope to work positively with her in the future as I have in the past.”
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper accused Mr Sunak of ignoring the complaint and called for Sir Gavin to be sacked.
Downing Street has said it will not be commenting.
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “The Conservative Party has a robust complaints process in place. This process is rightly a confidential one, so that complainants can come forward in confidence.”
Sir Gavin was sacked as defence secretary in 2019 following the leaking of confidential information from the National Security Council.
After being appointed education secretary by Boris Johnson, he was dismissed from cabinet again in 2021 following controversy around the grading of exams during the pandemic.
It marks the second major controversy to erupt over Mr Sunak’s cabinet appointments, with the PM already under fire for making Suella Braverman his home secretary days after she was sacked for security breaches.
A man has been arrested by police investigating a “significant” wildfire that triggered a major incident in Northern Ireland.
More than 100 firefighters and 15 fire appliances were deployed on Saturday to Sandbank Road, Hilltown, to tackle the blaze which is believed to have been caused deliberately, fire chiefs said.
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said the fire had a front of approximately two miles “including a large area of forestry close to property”.
It was extinguished at 2.53am on Sunday and the major incident status lifted, the NIFRS said.
“The cause of this fire is believed to have been deliberate,” chief fire and rescue officer Aidan Jennings said.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland said on Sunday that a 25-year-old man had been arrested “on suspicion of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered, and non-related driving offences”.
“He remains in custody at this time as enquiries continue into the circumstances surrounding the fire,” the force added.
The wildfire on Sandbank Road, Hilltown. Pic: Sky Watch NI
More than 100 firefighters were at the scene of the fire. Pic: Sky Watch NI
Various fires erupted across England this week amid uncharacteristically warm and dry conditions for the time of year.
On Saturday, helicopters were deployed to tackle Scotland’s fourth wildfire this week, with police saying a blaze “which started in the Newton Stewart area has spread northwards and is expected to reach the Loch Doon area of East Ayrshire around 12am on Sunday”.
Police Scotland added: “As a precautionary measure members of the public are asked to avoid the Loch Doon area and anyone who may be camping in the area is advised to leave.”
Moors Valley Country Park blackened by fires this week
Elsewhere in England, Devon and Cornwall Police said they were assisting the fire service with temporary road closures on the A30 in the Bolventor area as they tackle “a number of fires” on moorland.
In Dorset, Moors Valley Country Park was forced to close after multiple wildfires broke out there on Wednesday.
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Wildfires spread across nature reserve
Separate incidents were then reported at Upton Heath in Poole on Wednesday, and nearby Canford Heath in the early hours of Thursday.
Friday was officially the warmest day of the year so far – with temperatures in the south of England reaching 23C (73.4F) – the highest since 21 September last year, according to the Met Office.
The weather conditions triggered a “severe” wildfire rating for parts of the UK on Tuesday.
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