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Sir Gavin Williamson has resigned from his cabinet role, saying allegations of bullying against him were “becoming a distraction for the good work this government is doing’’.
His departure comes after his former deputy accused him of engaging in “threatening” and “intimidating” behaviour while chief whip, and seeking to use gossip about Tory MPs drinking, sex lives or mental health problems as “leverage”.
He was already facing multiple investigations – one a formal complaint by Liz Truss’s chief whip Wendy Morton, and the other an informal Tory probe over claims he told a senior civil servant to “slit your throat”.
Downing Street had earlier insisted that Sir Gavin still had Rishi Sunak’s backing – but indicated that the PM may take action over the allegations prior to the conclusion of the probes if he deems it necessary.
This preceded the explosive new claims by his former deputy Anne Milton, who told Channel 4 News that Sir Gavin had behaved in an “unethical and immoral” way as chief whip, adding: “I think he feels that he’s Francis Urquhart from House Of Cards.”
