THE Education Secretary is the latest Tory minister to be sent out on the morning media round to defend the PM’s appointments.
It was Oliver Dowden on Sunday, Mel Stride on Tuesday and today it was the turn of Gillian Keegan.
It’s only been two weeks since Sunak claimed his government would have “integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level”.
Yesterday, Gavin Williamson was forced to resign following a string of bullying allegations.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Keegan was asked about the PM’s pledge to honesty and accountability.
Presenter Sally Nugent asked how this could be true following what happened with Williamson.
Sally Nugent - Rishi Sunak promised his government would have integrity, professionalism & accountability... that's just isn't the case? Gillian Keegan - "That definitely is the case... he has fabulous judgement..." 👀#BBCBreakfast pic.twitter.com/2RjyE12lUZ
— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) November 9, 2022
Keegan replied: “It definitely is the case, I’ve worked with him for many years, he has integrity, he has fabulous judgement, professional and accountability.
“I don’t think there’s anything more accountable than somebody resigning, going to the backbenches to face an independent inquiry and co-operate fully with that.”
So far, that “fabulous judgement” has seen Sunak U-turn, as is the norm for the Tory party, on his decision to go to COP and re-appoint Suella Braverman as Home Secretary despite the manner of her initial resignation.
Keegan continued: “I mean, Rishi I have absolutely no doubt about his integrity and judgement.
“The fact that Gavin has resigned to go to the backbenches, he’s obviously apologised for the use of his language to the (former) chief whip which was unacceptable to my colleague Wendy but he’s also denying some of these allegations and he will, from the backbenches, I guess fully participate in that independent process.”
Nugent pressed Keegan on who exactly she was referring to when she spoke of “fabulous judgement”.
She said: “Rishi has great judgement. We all saw, everybody in the country saw, he went around for nine weeks basically telling people things they didn’t want to hear about the economic challenges we face.
“It’s very brave leadership to actually face up, particularly when you want something like to be the Prime Minister, to tell the truth and to face up and tell people very difficult home truths and he did that all over the summer.
“That’s why I backed him without any hesitation, he had the right analysis, the right judgement, and most importantly was brave enough with the right leadership to say it.”
