Calls For Police Probe Into Ex Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson
2 May 2019, 07:05
As political opponents call for a Scotland Yard investigation into Gavin Williamson, the former Defence Secratary insists his sacking was politically motivated.
Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson said if Mr Williamson has leaked details of a National Security Council meeting then he "should be prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act. And he should forgo his ministerial severance pay."
"I volunteered everything up. I couldn't have volunteered more information on the whole thing," Williamson told The Times.
The South Staffordshire MP insisted he would rather have been investigated by the police: "Frankly I'd rather have had a police inquiry, because the beauty of a police inquiry is I'd have been absolutely exonerated and would have been in the clear," he said.
In a letter Theresa May said there was "compelling evidence" suggesting he was to blame for the leaking of information from a top secret meeting.
Mr Williamson strongly denies this, even going as far as to swear on his children's lives that he was not to blame.
Theresa May said the inquiry had found "compelling evidence" suggesting he was responsible for the leak.
The PM also said she was "concerned" at the manner in which he had engaged with the inquiry by Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill.
He was one of Mrs May’s closest allies after she made him chief whip on entering Downing Street in 2016.
Penny Mordaunt has been brought in as his replacement - becoming the first female defence secretary.
Political opponents are now calling for a police investigation to establish if the former Defence Secretary breached the Official Secrets Act.
Labour's Shadow Defence Secratary, Nia Griffiths said: “The Tories are in chaos and incapable of sorting out their own crisis. Conservative infighting has undermined the basic functioning of government, and has now potentially put security at risk. The police must urgently investigate."
Downing Street said the Prime Minister "considers the matter to be closed."
