PM was told of complaint before he gave Gavin Williamson a cabinet job, former party chair says.
Image source, ReutersRishi Sunak is facing claims he knew Sir Gavin Williamson was facing a complaint of bullying the day before he appointed him a cabinet minister.
Ex Chief Whip Wendy Morton has told the BBC she raised concerns about text messages sent by Sir Gavin last month.
And former Conservative party chairman Sir Jake Berry said he had told the prime minister of her complaint.
Labour and the Liberal Democrats say the incident raises questions about Mr Sunak’s judgement.
The Sunday Times has published a number of expletive-laden texts said to have been sent by Sir Gavin to Ms Morton in which he accuses her of excluding some MPs from the Queen funeral.
Rossendale and Darwen MP Sir Jake says he told Mr Sunak about the complaint accusing Sir Gavin of “bullying and intimidation” on 24 October. This was the day he became the new Conservative Party leader.
Mr Sunak succeeded Liz Truss as prime minister on 25 October and appointed Sir Gavin a minister of state at the Cabinet Office.
Downing Street did not deny the prime minister had held a conversation with Sir Jake but a spokeswoman said there would no comment while a complaints process was ongoing.
Ms Morton says she complained to her party headquarters last month about the behaviour of Sir Gavin but is yet to hear how it will be acted upon.
Sir Gavin is reported to have sent her the texts in the run up to the Queen’s funeral in September.
In them, he appears to have complained that MPs who were not “favoured” by Ms Truss were being excluded from the ceremony in Westminster Abbey.
He accused Ms Morton of “rigging” the ticket allocation to punish people – including himself – who were not supportive enough of the then prime minister.
Sir Gavin reportedly warned Ms Morton ”not to push him about’ and that “there is a price for everything”.
Image source, UK Parliament
Sir Gavin is quoted in the Sunday Times as saying: “I of course regret getting frustrated about the way colleagues and I felt we were being treated.
“I am happy to speak with Wendy and I hope to work positively with her in the future as I have in the past.”
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “The Conservative Party has a robust complaints process in place.
“This process is rightly a confidential one, so that complainants can come forward in confidence.”
Both Ms Morton and Sir Jake lost their jobs in the reshuffle when Mr Sunak came to power, while Sir Gavin – a former chief whip and a a key member of Mr Sunak’s leadership campaign – returned to government.
Sir Gavin was defence secretary in Theresa May’s government but was sacked in 2019 over claims – denied by him – that he had leaked details of a national security council meeting. He then became education secretary in Boris Johnson’s cabinet but was replaced after two years.
Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said Mr Sunak’s decision to bring Sir Gavin back into government saw him put “party management before the country” and his judgement was “in question”.
She said: “Rishi Sunak’s pledge to restore integrity, professionalism and accountability has been exposed as nothing more than hollow words.”
Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said: “These shocking revelations raise yet more serious questions about Rishi Sunak’s judgement…
“If the prime minister was serious about restoring integrity he would sack Gavin Williamson.”