UK cabinet Minister quits over bullying allegations

London: Gavin Williamson, a cabinet office minister in British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government, has resigned after mounting allegations that he had bullied colleagues.
On Tuesday, in his resignation letter posted on Twitter, Williamson said he had apologized to the recipient for the messages and was cooperating with an investigation. However, he rejected claims of bullying in the second incident.
“I refute the characterization of these claims, but I recognize these are becoming a distraction for the good work this government is doing for the British people,” he wrote.
“I have therefore decided to step back from government so that I can comply fully with the complaints process that is underway and clear my name of any wrongdoing.”
Sunak said he had accepted Williamson’s resignation “with great sadness”.
The MP had been accused of sending abusive messages to a fellow Tory MP last month and of bullying a senior civil servant as Defence Secretary, BBC reported.
He later tweeted he would not be taking any severance pay, adding that the money should go towards the government’s priorities such as “reducing the NHS’s waiting lists”.
Sir Gavin had come under increasing pressure since a series of expletive-laden text messages sent by him to Tory colleague and then-Chief Whip Wendy Morton were published in the Sunday Times, the BBC said.
On Monday a senior civil servant told the Guardian Sir Gavin had bullied them and told them to “slit your throat”.
On Tuesday, Anne Milton, who worked as deputy chief whip between 2015 and 2017, told Channel 4 News that Sir Gavin’s behavior had been “threatening” and “intimidating”.
Williamson’s resignation came at a time when Sunak’s choice of some of his ministers had come under intense scrutiny.
Leaders of opposition parties have demanded the resignation of Home Secretary Suella Braverman, whom Sunak reappointed days after she resigned from Truss’s cabinet for breaching the rules on ministerial conduct. (UNI/XINHUA)