The panel has called for a formal apology from former Cabinet minister Sir Gavin Williamson to Members of Parliament regarding his mistreatment of former Chief Whip Wendy Morton following his exclusion from the late Queen’s funeral.
Back in November of the previous year, allegations surfaced against Williamson, who had previously served as both Education Secretary and Chief Whip. These allegations stemmed from a series of text messages he sent to Wendy Morton, including one containing a veiled threat: “there is a price for everything.” This controversy resulted in his resignation as a Cabinet Office minister within Rishi Sunak’s newly formed government, with a commitment to clear his name of any wrongdoing.
These accusations came to light two weeks after Rishi Sunak assumed office, succeeding the short-lived Liz Truss. Wendy Morton, who had previously served under Liz Truss as Chief Whip, informed the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) within Parliament about Williamson’s messages. She attributed her perceived exclusion from the Queen’s funeral to her lack of support for Liz Truss during the party’s leadership election. She described the messages as “threatening,” “intimidating,” and “undermining.”
At that time, Rishi Sunak expressed full confidence in Williamson while welcoming the ICGS investigation into the matter. The ICGS investigator determined that Williamson had violated bullying and harassment policies. However, this decision was later overturned by the Standards Commissioner, Daniel Greenberg, prompting an appeal from Wendy Morton.
Recently, the Independent Expert Panel (IEP), responsible for handling such cases, issued its own report, affirming Wendy Morton’s complaint. The report revealed excerpts from Williamson’s messages, which included phrases such as:
- “Don’t forget I know how this works, so don’t [push] me about.”
- “It’s very clear how you are going to treat a number of us, which is very stupid, and you are showing **** all interest in pulling things together. Don’t bother asking anything from me.”
- “Well, let’s see how many more times you **** us all over. There is a price for everything.”
- “You are using her death to punish people who are just supportive, absolutely disgusting.”
The IEP ruled that Williamson should issue a personal statement to the House, apologising for his actions. Additionally, he was mandated to undergo training to prevent the recurrence of such behavior and to enhance his awareness of the negative impact of bullying on others. The panel characterised Williamson’s messages as an “abuse of power” and asserted that his conduct had escalated beyond mere political disagreement or robust criticism to the level of a revengeful threat, leveraging his authority as a former chief whip to undermine Wendy Morton personally.
The IEP disclosed that they had deliberated extensively on the possibility of suspending Williamson from the Commons but ultimately determined that a “full and unreserved apology,” coupled with behavioural training, was the appropriate course of action. It was also noted that Williamson had accepted this ruling.
It’s worth mentioning that Williamson was recommended for a knighthood by Boris Johnson in 2022. Despite holding various government positions, he remains a controversial figure due to his dismissals by both Theresa May in 2019 for leaking National Security Council meeting details and by Boris Johnson as Education Secretary during the A-levels issues amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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