Gavin Williamson is “clearly not suitable” to be in government and his appointment shows just how “weak” Rishi Sunak is, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said.
The prime minister is under fire for bringing Mr Williamson back into the government despite being warned he was under investigation for allegedly bullying former chief whip Wendy Morton.
The minister has now been hit by fresh claims – accused of making a tacit threat by raising a sensitive issue about a female Tory MP’s private life.
The Labour leader said was “so disappointing that yet again we’re having a discussion about the prime minister’s judgment, this time in relation to Gavin Williamson”.
Sir Keir added: “He’s clearly got people around the cabinet table who are not fit to be there. That is because he was so weak and wanted to avoid an election within his own party.”
Asked if he was calling for Mr Williamson to be fired, the Labour leader said: “I think that the prime minister has got people who are clearly not fit for the job around the cabinet table.”
He added: “Gavin Williamson has got history when it comes to breaches of security and leaking, etc. He is clearly not suitable, but the central focus really here is on the prime minister, to ask the question why has he put these people around the cabinet.”
Repeating his call for a snap election, Sir Keir added: “I think the only way out of this … I think we should say to the public, they should have a choice – do you want to carry on with this chaos or do you want the stability of a Labour government? That’s why I think there is such a powerful case for a general election.”
It comes as an unnamed Tory minister is said to have claimed that Mr Williamson brought up her private life in 2016 in a bid to silence her when he was chief whip and she was a backbencher.
The MP – campaigning on an issue causing problems for the government at the time – interpretated the conversation as a tacit threat, according to The Times.
But allies of Mr Williamson denied any threat, telling the newspaper he had only raised the personal issue in “pastoral capacity” as chief whip at the time.
In scathing criticism, Grant Shapps said the angry WhatsApps messages sent by his cabinet colleague Mr Williamson to ex-chief whip Wendy Morton about his failure to get a spot at the Queen’s funeral were “completely inappropriate”.
The business secretary told LBC: “I think he must have been in a moment of frustration that I’m sure he regrets very deeply. It’s completely inappropriate to send messages like that under any circumstances, frustration or otherwise. It’s absolutely right that’s been looked into.”
Mr Sunak has said abusive texts sent by Mr Williamson to Ms Morton were “not acceptable or right”. The prime minister insisted that he had been aware of a “disagreement” – but not the details of the exchange.
The prime minister’s spokesperson said that Mr Sunak took a “zero tolerance” approach to bullying within government. But asked whether the PM had “full confidence” in Sir Gavin, he replied: “Yes.”
Meanwhile, Sir Keir has insisted his party is “united” amid accusations that the Labour left wing is being “purged”. Reports emerged over the weekend accusing the Labour leadership of overseeing a “purge”, with some blocked from standing at the next general election.
The Labour leader told broadcasters: “We are preparing for the next election, the sooner the better. I am determined to have a team of incoming MPs, who are the team for the future.
“We will have a big challenge and so of course we are making sure we have got the very best candidates to put before the public for that general election which we so desperately need.”
