- Gavin Williamson Ordered to Apologize for Harassing Colleague
- Text Messages and Accusations That Led to the Apology Order
- Investigation Findings and Implications for Gavin Williamson
A parliamentary investigation found Sir Gavin Williamson had harassed a colleague via text messages. He is forced to apologise.
Sir Gavin quit as a minister last year after sending Wendy Morton, the former Conservative top whip, profane communications.
Sir Gavin accused Ms Morton of barring MPs from the Queen’s funeral in September last year in the texts.
He sent the texts before the funeral, and in November, Ms. Morton filed a complaint with Parliament.
After Ms. Morton’s allegation, opposition parties questioned why Mr. Sunak selected Sir Gavin as a minister in October.
On Monday, a Parliament-appointed independent committee ruled Sir Gavin broke anti-harassment and anti-bullying regulations.
The Independent Expert Panel (IEP) has mandated that he apologize in the House of Commons and participate in training.
Sir Gavin has denied that the texts are intimidatory or abusive, despite accepting this conclusion.
Ms. Morton, a close ally of former Prime Minister Liz Truss, said that she was “satisfied” with the investigation’s conclusion.
She stated, “It has been a lengthy process. It has resembled a rollercoaster.”
Decision challenged
Ms. Morton filed a complaint with the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme, the parliamentary watchdog tasked with investigating allegations of improper behavior by MPs.
Ms. Morton alleged that in September and October 2022, Sir Gavin used text messages and phone calls to threaten, intimidate, and undermine her.
The IEP report states that Sir Gavin texted Ms. Morton after being denied entry to the Queen’s memorial.
According to the texts, Sir Gavin challenged Ms. Truss’ removal of “unfavoured” MPs from Westminster Abbey.
Sir Gavin warned Ms. Morton in a text message that “there is a price for everything” and that excluding MPs was “very stupid,” adding, “Also don’t forget I know how this works so don’t pussyfoot around.”
In a preliminary investigation, the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme determined that Sir Gavin had violated the Parliament’s anti-harassment and anti-bullying policy.
Then, in a review of that finding, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Daniel Greenberg, had cleared Sir Gavin of the allegation that his conduct amounted to bullying or harassment.
This year, however, the IEP upheld an appeal against Ms. Morton’s decision.
The panel concurred that the commissioner’s decision was “unreasonable” and concluded that Sir Gavin’s communications constituted an abuse of authority.
The panel’s report stated: “The complainant’s perception that this was bullying was reasonable, and the commissioner’s conclusion that the texts were instead an “unprofessional expression of fury” went “against the weight of the evidence and is unsupported by explanation.”
The commission stated that it “carefully considered” whether Sir Gavin should be suspended from the House of Commons, but ultimately decided that a “full and unreserved apology” was necessary.
Ms. Morton lost her position in the reshuffle that followed the ascension of Mr. Sunak to power. While Sir Gavin, a former chief whip and education secretary, returned to government.
After three prime ministers fired him, Sir Gavin retired last November amid allegations.
Sir Gavin was the defence secretary in Theresa May’s administration until he was fired in 2019 over allegations – which he denied – that he had leaked National Security Council meeting information. He then served as education secretary in Boris Johnson’s ministry for two years before being replaced.
He remains a Conservative backbench representative for South Staffordshire.
