Gavin Williamson, Minister without portfolio and close to the new British Prime Minister, had to resign on Tuesday, only fifteen days after his entry into office, while conservative deputies accuse him of harassment.
by Cécile Ducourieux (London, correspondent)
First scandal, first resignation from the Rishi Sunak government: Tuesday, November 8, Gavin Williamson, minister (without portfolio) and close to the new British Prime Minister, had to resign, just fifteen days after he entered, facing the ‘Accumulation of revelations and allegations against him. He is accused by colleagues, conservative deputies like him, of having threatened them, and even harassed, to achieve his ends.
This 46-year-old deputy, former education minister of Boris Johnson, former defense minister and “Chief Whip” (manager of the parliamentary group) of Theresa May, was known for his political skill , but dragged a reputation as a master of the bass works of the Tory party. He lent a hand to Rishi Sunak during his first attempt to enter Downing Street, this summer – lost in favor of Liz Truss. He helped her again, at the end of October, to replace M me truss when she was pushed at the start, by neutralizing the attempt to return to Boris Johnson.
But the British media were quick to reveal, shortly after the appointment of Mr. Williamson to the Sunak government, the accusations brought against him by Wendy Morton, ex-Chief Whip of Liz Truss. The Sunday Times notably published the threatening messages that he had sent to the deputy, accusing him of having supposedly block so that he and other elected officials Can not access the national funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, on September 19, on the grounds that they were not close to Liz Truss.
Other testimonies of elected officials and civil servants have emerged, highlighting the brutal practices of the former Whip Chief. And Tuesday, Wendy Morton officially filed a complaint with the ICGS, the organ of the Westminster parliament responsible for investigating the disputes of the deputies. Internal revenge, Ego still alive in a party undermined by the factions, who is at its fifth Prime Minister in six years? The position of Mr. Williamson was in any case untenable.
doubts about the judgment of Rishi Sunak
In his letter of resignation, published on Twitter on Tuesday evening, the deputy for the staffi (in the midlands) defended himself from having “harassed” colleagues, but recognized that the allegations against him led “the right functioning ” of the government. This departure would be anecdotal if he did not eat doubts about the judgment of Rishi Sunak. In the spring of 2019, Mr. Williamson had to give up his post as Minister of Defense after Theresa May suspected him of having leaned information following a national security meeting. He was then a very mediocre Minister of Education.
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