Teaching unions have hit out at "contemptible" comments by Sir Gavin Williamson, after leaked messages showed the then education secretary appearing to accuse staff of looking for an "excuse" not to work during the Covid pandemic. The comments emerged in the latest set of leaked messages from Matt Hancock, published by the Daily Telegraph, and show the two ministers hitting out at the attitude of teaching unions.
On October 1 2020, Mr Hancock messaged Sir Gavin to congratulate him on his decision to delay A-level exams for a few weeks. The then health secretary wrote: "Cracking announcement today. What a bunch of absolute arses the teaching unions are."
Sir Gavin responded: "I know they really really do just hate work." Earlier that year, in May, Sir Gavin messaged Mr Hancock asking for his help in securing personal protective equipment (PPE) for schools so a lack of such equipment could not be used "as a reason not to open".
