A key ally of Rishi Sunak has admitted the prime minister was told of a bullying allegation against Gavin Williamson when he brought the twice-sacked minister back to the cabinet.
But Oliver Dowden brushed off anger about Sir Gavin’s expletive-laden texts to the former Tory chief whip – insisting they had been “sent in the heat of the moment”.
The Cabinet Office minister also claimed the former education and defence secretary regretted the language he used, although he initially denied doing anything wrong.
On the Sky News show Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Mr Dowden was asked five times whether the prime minister – as Jake Berry, a former party chair, has claimed – was told about the complaint lodged by Wendy Morton, the former chief whip.
He ducked the questions, saying Mr Sunak was not aware of the expletive texts, before eventually acknowledging Mr Berry had “highlighted” her protest to the prime minister.
In the texts, revealed by The Sunday Times, Sir Gavin told Ms Morton “you f*** us all over” in anger at being excluded from the Queen’s funeral, adding: “There is a price for everything.”
But Mr Dowden downplayed the apparent threat, saying: “That is in the past now and thankfully we are in a better place as a party.”
Asked about the twice-sacked minister’s future, the Cabinet Office minister replied: “The prime minister continues to have confidence in Gavin Williamson as a minister.”
Mr Dowden said: “It is not the case that the prime minister saw this exchange of text messages until they were leaked.”
But he then added: “The prime minister knew that there was a difficult relationship and we’ve seen from the former chairman, Jake Berry, he says that he highlighted that to the prime minister.”
It was pointed out to Mr Dowden that Sir Gavin “kept a tarantula in his desk” as chief whip” and “was fired as defence secretary for leaking sensitive national security information”.
But he defended the appointment, saying: “As prime minister, he brought together people from all across the Conservative Party.”
Ed Miliband, the shadow climate change secretary, alleged there is a “cover-up” or a “whitewash” over the allegations made against the man who is now “minister without portfolio”.
“These are incredibly serious issues and I think it really calls into question Rishi Sunak’s judgement and the way he made decisions about his cabinet,” Mr Miliband said.
“We already know about the whole Suella Braverman issue: being reappointed six days after she resigned.”
