Rishi Sunak under pressure after Gavin Williamson’s resignation over bullying claims – UK politics live

Labour calls on PM to explain why someone with Williamson’s ‘odious’ record was given a ministerial post

Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, was batting for the government on the airwaves this morning. Her interviews were dominated by questions about Sir Gavin Williamson, and here are her key lines.

Keegan rejected Labour claims that Williamson’s appointment showed that Rishi Sunak’s judgment was flawed. She told BBC Breakfast that Sunak had “fabulous judgment”. And she told Times Radio:

I think Rishi has the highest degree of integrity and judgment. We saw it all over the summer, he was prepared to tell the hard truths. That’s real leadership.

She said she thought Williamson’s resignation would close down the row about this matter. She said:

The reality is you appoint people and, you know, the only thing you can do if things don’t work out or things go wrong or things come to light afterwards is act quickly.

Gavin’s acted quickly, he’s removed the distraction. I would expect after today that it won’t be discussed any further.

She defended Sunak’s decision to say in his letter to Williamson that he accepted his resignation “with great sadness”. Sunak was being polite, she implied. She said:

I think it’s always sad when a colleague resigns. It does have an impact on them personally, it has an impact on their family. So, you know, nobody takes glee out of these situations at all.

But ... it happens quite a lot in politics actually.

She said she had never seen evidence herself of Williamson bullying colleagues. She told Sky News:

I’ve worked with him several times and I haven’t seen any of that. He’s never threatened me, or he’s only only ever been supportive actually, personally, to me.

North Northamptonshire council wants to prevent migrants being accommodated at the Royal Hotel in Kettering.

The authority applied to the high court for an emergency injunction and is considering its next steps after this was dismissed.

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