Conservative Chief Whip Gavin Williamson is taking over the role of Secretary of State for Defence from Michael Fallon - the first politician to quit following recently revealed claims of sexual harassment in Parliament.
Fallon resigned yesterday, saying his conduct fell short of military standards - although exactly what he was referring to remains a mystery. Fallon said that what had been “acceptable 15, ten years ago is clearly not acceptable now”, the BBC reports.
Williamson, 41, had served as chief whip since July 2016, a role that has now been handed to his former deputy, Julian Smith.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Theresa May’s appointment of Williamson was met with shock and scepticism, with many reporters citing anonymous sources from within the Conservative Party expressing their displeasure.
Since the chief whip advises the PM on promotions, “some Conservatives are suggesting that he, in effect, promoted himself”, says George Eaton in the New Statesman.
Fallon is the first major casualty in the growing sexism controversy that has rocked May’s already shaky coalition and that threatens to take down more MPs. He apologised earlier this week for repeatedly touching a journalist’s knee during a 2002 dinner.
The Guardian speculates that Fallon may have quit before more misconduct allegations could surface. Further resignations are expected to follow, the Daily Mirror says.
Yesterday it emerged that Damien Green, the Prime Minister’s most trusted Cabinet ally, has been accused of making inappropriate advances on a Tory activist 30 years his junior.
In a speech last night, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson called for the parliamentary stables to be cleared out.
“The house clearing that is about to happen needs to happen, and we can never go back to where we were before,” she said. This morning Davidson told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that “the dam has broken” on sexual misconduct allegations.
-
October 19 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday's editorial cartoons include Pete Hegseth and the press, an absence of government, and George Washington crossing the Delaware
-
A little-visited Indian Ocean archipelagoThe Week Recommends The paradise of the Union of the Comoros features beautiful beaches, colourful coral reefs and lush forests
-
AI: is the bubble about to burst?In the Spotlight Stock market ever-more reliant on tech stocks whose value relies on assumptions of continued growth and easy financing
-
The new age of book banningThe Explainer How America’s culture wars collided with parents and legislators who want to keep their kids away from ‘dangerous’ ideas
-
Taking the low road: why the SNP is still standing strongTalking Point Party is on track for a fifth consecutive victory in May’s Holyrood election, despite controversies and plummeting support
-
Five policies from the Tory conferenceIn Depth Party leader Kemi Badenoch has laid out the Conservative plan for a potential future government
-
Charlie Kirk honored as ‘martyr’ at memorial rallySpeed Read At a service for the slain conservative activist, speakers included President Donald Trump and many top administration officials
-
Can the Lib Dems be a party of government again?Today's Big Question Leader Ed Davey is urged to drop the stunts and present a serious plan for the country
-
What difference will the 'historic' UK-Germany treaty make?Today's Big Question Europe's two biggest economies sign first treaty since WWII, underscoring 'triangle alliance' with France amid growing Russian threat and US distance
-
Is the G7 still relevant?Talking Point Donald Trump's early departure cast a shadow over this week's meeting of the world's major democracies
-
'Gen Z has been priced out of a future, so we invest in the present'instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
