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A senior member of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government announced his resignation on Tuesday night after accusing him of bullying colleagues.
Four days after Gavin Williamson announced his resignation as Secretary of State in a letter posted on Twitter, the Times of London published an expletive-laden text message he sent to another MP.
After that, a senior civil servant claimed Williamson had been persistently bullying them, telling the man on one occasion to “cut your throat” and “jump out the window” on another.
In his resignation letter, Williamson said he had apologized for the text messages and was cooperating with the investigation into the conduct. But he rejected claims that bullying was involved in the second incident.
“I refute the characterization of these claims, but admit that they are distracting from the good things the government is doing for the British people,” Williamson wrote. “I have therefore decided to withdraw from the government so that I can fully comply with the ongoing complaints process. , and whitewash me for any wrongdoing.” Williamson’s resignation came amid criticism that Sunak had failed to deliver on his promise to make integrity a central focus of his administration. Opposition leaders also called for the resignation of Home Secretary Sulla Braverman, whom Sunak reappointed just six days after she resigned for breaching ministerial conduct rules.
Sunak took office two weeks ago after his predecessor, Leeds Truss, was forced out over economic turmoil over a budget proposal. Truss has been prime minister for just six weeks after succeeding Boris Johnson, who resigned amid a string of scandals, from illegal gatherings during the pandemic lockdown to allegations of the improper use of political donations.
Many observers were surprised when Sunak appointed Williamson to the government job, having twice been forced out of previous cabinet positions. Williamson resigned as defense secretary in 2019 after the National Security Council leaked classified information. He lost his job as education secretary in 2021 after standardized testing was disrupted by the pandemic.
Sunak thanked Williamson for his “unwavering support” in accepting his resignation.
“I support your decision to step back and understand why you took it,” the prime minister said in a letter to Williamson.
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