Afternoon summary
- Theresa May has promoted Gavin Williamson, her trusted chief whip, to the job of defence secretary to fill the role vacated after Sir Michael Fallon resigned on Wednesday over allegations of sexual harassment.The appointment has gone down badly with some Tories MPs who have criticised the prime minister for promoting one of her most trusted acolytes ahead of candidates with more experience. (Williamson has never run a government department, has no military links, and has never even spoken in the Commons from the despatch box.) Most of the criticism has been anonymous, but the Tory MP Sarah Wollaston has questioned the appointment on the record. (See 10.55am and 1.58pm.) And Lord Dannatt, the former head of the army, has said the move was “all about bolstering [May’s] position”. (See 11.43am.)
- Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, has played down the need for the government to have a widespread clearout of sexist politicians. His stance contradicts that taken by Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, who said in a speech last night: “The house clearing that is about to happen needs to happen and we can never go back to where we were before.” (See 3.53pm.) Downing Street refused to say this afternoon whether Theresa May was more inclined to side with Grayling or with Davidson.
- Hilary Benn, the chair of the Commons Brexit committee, has written to David Davis, the Brexit secretary, saying he expects the government to release its Brexit impact assessments to the committee soon, in line with last night’s Commons vote. Benn said:
As I indicated to you, once the material has been provided to the committee I would be very happy to discuss with you any particular concerns you may have about publication of parts of the material so that the committee can take these into account in making its decision on release.
I note the leader of the House’s statement of October 26 that, where a motion tabled by an opposition party is approved by the House, the government will respond to this resolution by making a statement no more than 12 weeks after the debate. However, given that in this case the government already has the material, I trust that it will be possible to provide the documents concerned much sooner than that.
- A review of Labour’s internal democracy, ordered by Jeremy Corbyn with the aim of turning the party into a “mass movement”, will consult for eight months before reporting back to next year’s autumn conference. As the Press Association reports, a timetable for the review, led by close Corbyn ally and former MP Katy Clark, was presented to Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) on Tuesday. The document, obtained by the LabourList website, suggested the review should be split into three parts, with the most controversial elements relating to the election of the leader and the composition of the NEC kept until last.
That’s all from me for today.
I’m sorry again that comments had to be turned off. Hopefully they will be back next week.
Updated
I’ve heard that Conservative whips are trying to track down who it was who put together the list of MPs, which includes allegations of sexual misconduct.
One minister said there were believed to be three researchers and perhaps a journalist involved in drawing up the names, and claimed there was now a “witch hunt” to find them.
They justified the move by saying the unverified claims - many of which are strongly refuted and are considered potentially libellous - had been made public on social media.
Updated
Just when it seemed the issue of the 58 Brexit impact papers had been resolved ...
At almost the same time, however, Scottish secretary David Mundell was talking to a Holyrood committee in Edinburgh and confusing everybody all over again.
Specifically, he said that there was no Scotland-specific analysis contained within the 58. This was news to the committee convenor and also, it would seem, to Scotland’s own Brexit minister Michael Russell, who wrote to David Davis earlier this week demanding that Westminster share its analysis of the impact of different parts of the UK.
Of course, the lack of Scotland-specific papers shouldn’t matter as long as the UK-wide analysis of, say, farming takes in country-specific items like salmon or whisky.
Again, Mundell was unable to offer any clarity, saying that he had “seen some of the analyses ... with particular relevance to Scotland”, but would not confirm which ones the Scotland Office had been involved with.
Clear as mud.
Updated
Williamson says he was 'absolutely flabbergasted' to be made defence secretary
As chief whip Gavin Williamson was supposed to know everything that was going on in government.
But, according to an interview he has given to the Express & Star, his local paper, he had no idea he was going to be made defence secretary. “I was absolutely flabbergasted when the prime minister brought me in and asked me to be the secretary of state for defence,” he said.
Grayling plays down need for anti-sleaze clearout, contradicting Davidson
In her speech to at the Spectator parliamentarian of the year awards last night Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leaders, called for a clearout of sexist men from politics. The Tories would need some “pretty big shovels” for the stable cleaning ahead, she said. (See 8.42am.) She told her audience:
The house clearing that is about to happen needs to happen and we can never go back to where we were before.
Here is audio of her speech.
But Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, doesn’t see it like that. He has been in Belfast today and he told reporters there that the government was not setting out on a big stable cleaning exercise. He said:
This is not about about cleaning out stables, actually.
Transport Sec Chris Grayling says he’s very sorry to see Sir Michael Fallon go. Denies exit is evidence of Gov ”cleaning out stables”. @PA pic.twitter.com/iiZmJqjtRb
— David Young (@DavidYoungPA) November 2, 2017
This is from Channel 4 News’ Michael Crick.
The new Chief Whip Julian Smith argued in 2015 the House Commons should move to North of England for 5 years while repairs are carried out
— Michael Crick (@MichaelLCrick) November 2, 2017
This is David Davis’s Brexit folder. Davis was taking Brexit questions in the Commons this morning, and this picture shows his driver carrying Davis’s folder. If you can expand the picture, you might just about be able to read some of his subject headings.
The New Statesman’s George Eaton is not as coy as as the BBC’s Nick Eardley. (See 12.45pm.)
Female Tory MP on Gavin Williamson in the tea room: "a self-serving cunt". https://t.co/3jWo9qQjd4
— George Eaton (@georgeeaton) November 2, 2017
Earlier I posted this tweet from Nick Timothy, who was Theresa May’s co chief of staff until after the general election.
Gavin Williamson was TM’s campaign manager and has been a brilliant chief whip. The idea he appointed himself is absurd. She rates him.
— Nick Timothy (@NickJTimothy) November 2, 2017
The Conservative MP Anna Soubry has retweeted it with this comment.
Concerning comment from someone who helped lose the Conservative Party its majority & destroy 10 years hard work to make us electable. https://t.co/1IVKkvJWaT
— Anna Soubry MP (@Anna_Soubry) November 2, 2017
The New Statesman’s George Eaton has come up with one of those lines you wish you had thought of yourself ...
In the week that Netflix suspended House of Cards, the Conservatives have given it a new outing. https://t.co/3jWo9qQjd4
— George Eaton (@georgeeaton) November 2, 2017
But Gavin Williamson’s appointment was welcomed on the World at One by two Conservative MPs who are both former army officers. Bob Stewart told the programme:
The point about Gavin is, firstly, he’s a decent, calm man. He’s also a very thoughtful man. Yes, he won’t know much about defence. But I believe the civil service in the Ministry of Defence, the generals and the armed forces themselves, won’t mind that too much because he is the sort of person who will listen carefully, take advice, but then make his own decision ...
This guy has got ability. Yup, he’ll start slow. But he’ll accelerate
And Johnny Mercer said he backed the appointment and that Williamson’s lack of military experience wasn’t necessarily a problem. “It can sometimes be a blessing to have that strategic oversight,” he said, implying that as an outsider Williamson may look at problems with a fresh eye.
On the World at One the Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston expanded on the point she made on Twitter earlier (see 10.55am) about Gavin Williamson not being the best candidate for defence secretary. She said:
Gavin has been an extremely likeable and respected chief whip, but part of the role of the chief whip is to advise the prime minister on the most experienced and suitable person to take on such an important job as secretary of state for defence. And I think it would be worth reflecting whether there were others who were more experienced and suitable for that role.
Asked about possible alternatives, she said:
Penny Mordaunt [the former armed forces minister who is now a work and pensions minister] would have been a very popular choice, very experienced and respected, and likewise Toby Ellwood [a junior defence minister].
Here is BuzzFeed’s Alex Spence on Tory reaction to Gavin Williamson’s appointment.
Some Tory MPs are furious about Gavin Williamson's promotion. "It's her biggest and probably last mistake," says one https://t.co/7DBb6wk6Yu pic.twitter.com/gxBGKpEqUp
— Alex Spence (@alexGspence) November 2, 2017
This is from Rupert Harrison, who was George Osborne’s chief of staff when Osborne was chancellor.
Right. Going to go and put the money on Gavin Williamson for next PM that I meant to do weeks ago...
— Rupert Harrison (@rbrharrison) November 2, 2017
Lunchtime summary
- Theresa May has promoted Gavin Williamson, her trusted chief whip, to the job of defence secretary to fill the role vacated after Sir Michael Fallon resigned on Wednesday over allegations of sexual harassment.The appointment has gone down badly with some Tories MPs who have criticised the prime minister for promoting one of her most trusted acolytes ahead of candidates with more experience. (Williamson has never run a government department, has no military links, and has never even spoken in the Commons from the despatch box.) Most of the criticism has been anonymous, but the Tory MP Sarah Wollaston has questioned the appointment on the record. (See 10.55am.) And Lord Dannatt, the former head of the army, has said the move was “all about bolstering [May’s] position”. (See 11.43am.)
- The Bank of England has raised interest rates for the first time in a decade. My colleague Graeme Wearden has more on his business live blog.
- Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, has set out proposals for “modest” taxes rises for Scotland. As the Press Association reports, she said the time was right to consider raising the tax to protect public services as she launched the Scottish government’s paper on the role of income tax in Scotland’s budget. The document sets out each political party’s tax plans, and includes a further four illustrative options - which Sturgeon stressed were “not at this stage firm policy proposals”. All four include tax rises to a greater or lesser extent compared with current arrangements, indicating that the government intends to increase the levy in its draft budget for 2018/19, due to be published next month. Sturgeon said:
Nothing is a foregone conclusion until the budget is not just presented but passed, but I think you can get the sense from this paper today, what I have said previously and what I am saying today, that I think the time is right to consider modest additional contributions to protect the things we hold dear.
Updated
Williamson not involved in decision about his own promotion, says No 10
The prime minister’s spokesman told journalists at the lobby briefing that Gavin Williamson was not involved in discussions about the reshuffle following Sir Michael Fallon’s resignation.
Asked what qualities May felt her new minister would bring to the job, the PM’s spokesman said:
Gavin Williamson was an excellent and hard-working chief whip and the prime minister thinks he will make an excellent defence secretary. The prime minister is confident in the operation of the whips’ office during her premiership.
One Tory former minister, who did not want to be named, has told the Press Association that some of the party’s MPs are in “head-in-hands despair” at Gavin Williamson’s “bizarre” appointment as defence secretary. The MP said:
The feeling is it’s just a move that demonstrates Theresa May’s own weakness by allowing the guy who suggested to her that Fallon should go to take that job.
It’s a bizarre appointment from somebody who’s so shell-shocked she doesn’t know which direction to turn in and so is listening to the person she just likes and trusts rather than having a view about it herself.
This is from Julian Smith, the new Conservative chief whip.
Just found this on my desk- it’s looking quite Defence-ive…@GavinWilliamson pic.twitter.com/dwPREOXKKd
— Julian Smith MP (@JulianSmithUK) November 2, 2017
Northern Ireland secretary James Brokenshire has told the House of Commons it is “highly unlikely” that the main parties represented in the Stormont assembly will reach a deal before the deadline when a budget must be set for the region.
With Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionists still unable to secure an agreement on restoring power sharing, the secretary of state reported to MPs today that he is taking this step on the budget “with the utmost reluctance.” On the talks failure thus far, Brokenshire said in his statement:
While important progress has been made, the parties have not yet reached an agreement.
Therefore I am not in a position to bring before the House the legislation necessary for an executive to be formed this week.
The consequence of this is that it is now highly unlikely that an executive could be in place within a timetable to be assured of passing a budget by the end of November, which is the point at which we and the Northern Ireland civil service assess that Northern Ireland will begin to run out of resources.
No Government could simply stand by and allow that to happen and we would be shirking our responsibilities to the people of Northern Ireland were we to do so.
That is why the government will take forward the necessary steps that would enable a budget bill to be introduced in the House in order to protect the delivery of public services in Northern Ireland.
This budget bill would deal only with the current financial year. It would incorporate figures provided by the Northern Ireland civil service reflecting their assessment of the outgoing priorities of the previous executive. It would not set out any spending decisions by me or the government.
This is from the BBC’s Nick Eardley.
I would be sacked if I tweeted the word one minister just used to describe new defence secretary Gavin Williamson
— Nick Eardley (@nickeardleybbc) November 2, 2017
This is from Sky’s Beth Rigby.
Me to a (female) MP; Has Williamson’s appointment gone down badly? “You bet your f***king life”
— Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) November 2, 2017
Important point: I’ve been quoting a lot of tweets from journalists quoting unnamed Tories criticising Gavin Williamson’s appointment. But in some instances some of these journalists are almost certainly quoting the same individuals.
Tom Tugendhat, the Conservative chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, has defended Gavin Williamson’s appointment. He says the fact that Theresa May has given the defence post to one of her most trusted supporters shows how seriously she takes it.
“This is evidence the PM takes defence seriously. She has put in one of her most trusted aides into an absolutely crucial job” @TomTugendhat pic.twitter.com/ONPODrylts
— Daily&SundayPolitics (@daily_politics) November 2, 2017
These are from the Sunday Times’ Tim Shipman.
Gavin Williamson to Defence. Courageous to move the chief whip at a time like this
— Tim Shipman (@ShippersUnbound) November 2, 2017
Gavin Williamson was the person May owed the most to. He wanted a department. But losing him from the whips office is utterly bizarre
— Tim Shipman (@ShippersUnbound) November 2, 2017
Gavin Williamson becoming defence secretary is like the time Dick Cheney was asked to pick George W Bush’s running mate and picked himself
— Tim Shipman (@ShippersUnbound) November 2, 2017
Make no mistake, Gavin Williamson wants to be prime minister. And he knows all the dirt on his colleagues.
— Tim Shipman (@ShippersUnbound) November 2, 2017
Julian Smith is regarded as rather sinister by some MPs. Should be perfect for the role
— Tim Shipman (@ShippersUnbound) November 2, 2017
A Gavin Williamson reading list
One cabinet minister last month described him to the Guardian as a “chop-your-head-off type of man”.
However, many Tory backbenchers are unimpressed with the promotion of someone they see as slippery and a government toady who has deliberately cultivated an image as a modern-day Machiavelli.
While working in the pottery industry, Williamson became known as “the baby-faced assassin”, because of his willingness to take the harsh decisions needed to help his firm survive. In 2010, he succeeded Sir Patrick Cormack as the member for South Staffordshire, and in his maiden speech praised manufacturers, declaring that “we often have a lot more common sense than bankers”.
He has never served as a whip: a grave disadvantage in his present position. But before working for Cameron, he had been PPS to Patrick McLoughlin.
A former senior minister said of Williamson: “He does have a pretty cynical and serpentine view of human nature, and that cannot be anything but helpful in his new role.”
Another said: “His easy smile, Yorkshire accent and genial quality don’t quite mask a first-class political brain. He might be thought a callow youngster from the sticks. That would be a very, very grave mistake. He makes Francis Urquhart look like Eddie the Eagle.”
Williamson got his big break as David Cameron’s parliamentary private secretary from 2013 to 2016. The South Staffordshire MP forged the relationships that enabled his ascent. Giles Kenningham, Cameron’s former head of political press, told me: “He understands the heartbeat of the party, he has a forensic knowledge of what’s going on, he puts in the work in the tea rooms and the bars. He knows everyone.”
When Cameron resigned, Williamson privately vowed to do all he could to stop Boris Johnson entering No 10. He swiftly identified May as the best vehicle available for the task. After seeking Cameron’s permission, he phoned the then home secretary and offered to assist her bid. Within a day, he was invited to become her parliamentary campaign manager. “I was absolutely flabbergasted, but I accepted immediately,” he later recalled.
“I have to say it's pretty mixed” @bbclaurak on @@GavinWilliamson “Some people are nothing apart from furious. He has never been a minister” pic.twitter.com/Fil1ONIIAU
— Daily&SundayPolitics (@daily_politics) November 2, 2017
These are from HuffPost’s Paul Waugh.
Minister tells me: "She's gone mad. It's real 'end of days' stuff. He's [Williamson] a real slimeball, w/ his own leadership team in place"
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) November 2, 2017
Another minister:" Gavin is an appalling appointment. He's never stepped foot in a dept + now he's running one of the most important"
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) November 2, 2017
PM spox: “Gavin Williamson was an excellent and hard working chief whip and the PM is certain he will make an excellent defence secretary.”
— Heather Stewart (@GuardianHeather) November 2, 2017
This is from the Sun’s Lynn Davidson.
A taster of New Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson's Instagram account #reshuffle #exterminate #obey https://t.co/hnSExtZVa8 pic.twitter.com/rSQ3v12zeT
— Lynn Davidson (@ByLynnDavidson) November 2, 2017
The Evening Standard, which of course is edited by the Tory former chancellor George Osborne, says today that Sir Michael Fallon will not be the last minister to go over misconduct. Here’s an extract from its editorial.
For Mrs May, this also feels like a career-defining moment. She has now insisted that certain standards of past behaviour are not consistent with membership of her government. Mrs May will remember the “Back to Basics” farce that unwittingly engulfed the Major government in the Nineties. If what looks like a strong stand today doesn’t descend into weakness tomorrow, then she will have to enforce that ruling whatever it means for other ministers in her government. As one very senior Conservative says privately this morning: Mr Fallon’s certainly won’t be the only resignation or dismissal. That may include potentially her closest allies in a cabinet where she has few friends. For a prime minister without authority or a majority, that is one hell of a political gamble.
Osborne has tweeted a link to the whole article.
Our editorial @EveningStandard: May’s gamble in getting rid of Fallon + centenary of Balfour Declaration https://t.co/hHPbSuCsEz
— George Osborne (@George_Osborne) November 2, 2017
The BBC has asked Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, if his behaviour has always been up to the standard expected of a cabinet minister. As Norman Smith reports, he replied: “You bet.”
Boris Johnson asked if his behaviour has always been of a standard expected of cabinet ministers tells BBC - "You bet.”
— norman smith (@BBCNormanS) November 2, 2017
The Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi told BBC News that he thought the appointment of Gavin Williamson as defence secretary was “inspired”. Zahawi said he had been particularly impressive as chief whip. He said:
He’s built a great team in the whips’ office and really modernised the way the whips’ office works, with real, modern HR procedures, and you see that now with the promotion of Julian Smith, his deputy, to chief whip. So I think it’s an inspired appointment.
The Ministry of Defence has tweeted this.
Permanent Secretary @SLovegroveMOD & Vice Chief of Defence Staff welcome new Defence Secretary @GavinWilliamson to the Ministry of Defence pic.twitter.com/FEVBJF48wj
— Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) November 2, 2017
The Conservative MP Nick Boles says he does not understand the negative reaction to Gavin Williamson’s appointment as defence secretary.
Puzzled by vehemence of some reactions to @GavinWilliamson appointment. Clearly effective as Chief Whip and loyal to both PMs he's served.
— Nick Boles MP (@NickBoles) November 2, 2017
Former army chief says Williamson's appointment 'all about bolstering [May’s] position'
Lord Dannatt, the former head of the army, told the Today programme this morning that Theresa May should appoint a Ministry of Defence insider to replace Michael Fallon. (See 9.26am.) Speaking on BBC News just now, Dannatt said the appointment of Gavin Williamson was “all about bolstering [May’s] position”. He said:
This appointment by Theresa May is essentially a political one. She has moved her trusted chief whip [to become defence secretary]. That’s all about bolstering her position within the cabinet.
Dannatt also said he thought it was not ideal having an inexperienced defence secretary taking up the job at a time when there are some big defence decisions that need to be taken. For example, he said, a new chief of the defence staff will have to be appointed soon. Dannatt said that would be “difficult for [Williamson] to do when he hardly knows the candidates.”
Nick Timothy, who was Theresa May’s co chief of staff until he resigned after the election, has taken to Twitter to rubbish the idea that Gavin Williamson effectively promoted himself. (See 11.13am.)
Gavin Williamson was TM’s campaign manager and has been a brilliant chief whip. The idea he appointed himself is absurd. She rates him.
— Nick Timothy (@NickJTimothy) November 2, 2017
This is from the Sun’s Jason Groves.
Minister emerging from Commons tea room describes Gavin Williamson appointment as 'the most unpopular political decision I have ever known'
— Jason Groves (@JasonGroves1) November 2, 2017
This is from ITV’s Robert Peston.
An MP formerly loyal to May: “she had a golden opportunity to do the right thing and appoint the right people to the right jobs. She’s just blown it and exposed herself as weaker than any of us thought. She’s being controlled by young men in suits. I now despair”.
— Robert Peston (@Peston) November 2, 2017
This is from the Sun’s Steve Hawkes.
Tory Minister: "We were once the party of meritocracy."
— steve hawkes (@steve_hawkes) November 2, 2017
this is not going down well
Here is a profile of Gavin Williamson from the Press Association’s Andrew Woodcock.
New Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has achieved the highly unusual distinction of being promoted directly into the cabinet without having held a more junior ministerial job.
The 41-year-old MP for South Staffordshire has been a vital part of Theresa May’s inner circle after being appointed as her chief whip when she took office in July last year.
He is known in Westminster for keeping a pet tarantula named Cronus in a glass box on his desk, which is said to have provided added menace when dealing with errant MPs in his role as May’s enforcer.
“You have to look at all different ways to persuade people to vote with the Government and it’s great to have Cronus as part of the team,” he said on his appointment as chief whip, with responsibility for maintaining discipline among Tory MPs.
The spider was “a perfect example of an incredibly clean, ruthless killer”.
Williamson got his big break as parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to David Cameron from 2013-16 and was selected by May as her parliamentary campaign manager for the contest for the Conservative leadership triggered by Cameron’s resignation following the Brexit referendum.
His new appointment means May not only adds an intensely loyal lieutenant to a fractious cabinet, but also avoids the necessity for a wider reshuffle caused by the “domino effect” if she had moved one of her senior ministers.
Elected to Parliament in 2010, Williamson was swiftly appointed a PPS in the Northern Ireland Office in 2011 and then held a succession of “bag-carrier” posts, acting as the eyes and ears in the House of Commons for ministers Hugo Swire, Owen Paterson and Patrick McLoughlin, before entering Number 10 as a member of Mr Cameron’s team.
Although unpaid, the role of PPS is seen as a useful staging post for a backbencher seeking ministerial office, but rarely have holders of the position been elevated quite so swiftly into one of the most senior posts in the Cabinet.
He is regarded as a right-hand man of the prime minister, remained by her side as other key allies fell by the wayside in the wake of her disastrous snap election, and was addressed as “chief” in Downing Street in recognition of his position.
As chief whip, he was prohibited from speaking in parliament and has had little opportunity to build up a public profile. One of his rare ventures into the spotlight came when he signed the agreement with the Democratic Unionist party to prop up the minority Conservative administration following this year’s election.
Born and raised in Scarborough by Labour-supporting parents, Williamson went to a local comprehensive school and sixth form college before taking a science degree at the University of Bradford.
His background is in manufacturing and design at a pottery in Staffordshire and an architectural design company.
He was awarded a CBE in Cameron’s resignation honours for political and public service.
These are from the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg.
Another senior Tory says ‘MPs deeply unhappy he has used position of Chief to benefit himself + deserted his post at such a crucial time’
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) November 2, 2017
Williamson is a v effective operator but this appointment is far from without risk
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) November 2, 2017
These are from my colleague Heather Stewart.
"Unbelievable. Ludicrous. Astonishing": one backbench Tory's reaction to May's decision to make Gavin Williamson defence secretary.
— Heather Stewart (@GuardianHeather) November 2, 2017
Another senior Tory suggests to me the PM may have done a deal with Williamson - to handle the "toxic" Brexit talks, then hand over to him.
— Heather Stewart (@GuardianHeather) November 2, 2017
Sky’s Faisal Islam is also commenting on the suggestion that, given the chief whip advises the prime minister on promotions, Gavin Williamson seems to have effectively promoted himself.
Defence Sec is bigger better, and right now easier job than Chief Whip of minority government trying to get 8 bills thru before Brexit day
— Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) November 2, 2017
... there's a scene in House of Cards where the chief whip helps the President decide on a VP, and ends up suggesting himself...
— Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) November 2, 2017
... although that actually happened as I recall with Dick Cheney and Bush Jr
— Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) November 2, 2017
This is from the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn.
Williamson for PM? One Tory MP texts: "Gosh. Could Francis Urquhart be preparing his own next step?"
— Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) November 2, 2017
This is from ITV’s Robert Peston.
Every Tory woman MP told me they wanted a woman chief whip (and they all rate Anne Milton) such is that role’s importance in monitoring and checking harassment. Odd that May has appointed not a woman
— Robert Peston (@Peston) November 2, 2017
This is from Sky’s Lewis Goodall.
Text from senior Tory MP about Gavin Williamson: "He's out of the shitstorm. Knifed Fallon and pinched his job. It's way above his ability."
— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) November 2, 2017
This is from the Daily Mail’s Jason Groves.
Fallon timeline: Gavin Williamson tells PM that Fallon might have to go. Fallon goes. Williamson gets his job
— Jason Groves (@JasonGroves1) November 2, 2017
These are from the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg.
I’m not quite sure how his colleagues are going to react - on another point, are tarantulas allowed into the MOD?
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) November 2, 2017
One minister tells me ‘She is so weak she has let Williamson appoint himself-this is appalling’
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) November 2, 2017
10 things you might not know about Gavin Williamson
Gavin Williamson is relatively unknown to the public at large. We will be profiling him properly, but in the meantime here are 10 things about him you might not know.
1 - His rise has been meteoric. Until last summer he was just a backbencher (albeit an influential one). But he went straight from being a backbencher to being chief whip. And his appointment as defence secretary took Westminster by surprise.
2 - He was David Cameron’s parliamentary private secretary for three years, until last summer. In that post he became renown for his knowledge of the entire Conservative parliamentary party.
3 - As chief whip he kept a pet tarantula called Cronus on his desk.
4 - He likes hedgehogs (according to this Radio 4 Profile programme about him.)
5 - He is only 41.
6 - He went to a comprehensive school.
7 - He is from Scarborough and both his parents were Labour voters (at least, according to his Wikipedia page.)
8 - He doesn’t like Boris Johnson, and reportedly joined Theresa May’s leadership campaign primarily to stop Johnson becoming prime minister.
9 - Before he became MP he ran a pottery business.
10 - In a speech at the Tory conference, in a joke about the way whips use carrots and sticks, he joked about what can be achieved with a “sharpened carrot”. (Presumably, though, he won’t be advocating that as a solution to defence procurement cuts.)
Chief whip Gavin Williamson: "I don't very much believe in the stick. But it's amazing what can be achieved with a sharpened carrot."
— Jim Pickard (@PickardJE) October 4, 2017
Esther McVey appointed deputy chief whip
And Esther McVey, the former work and pensions minister, has been made deputy chief whip, Number 10 has announced. McVey lost her seat in 2015 but was re-elected in June.
The Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston does not seem keen on Gavin Williamson’s appointment.
There are times when offered a job that it would be better to advise that another would be more experienced & suited to the role
— Sarah Wollaston (@sarahwollaston) November 2, 2017
Julian Smith made chief whip
Number 10 has just announced that Julian Smith, the deputy chief whip, has been promoted to chief whip. Smith has also been made a privy counsellor.
(Smith is no friend of the Guardian’s. Four years ago he called for us to be prosecuted over the Edward Snowden revelations.)
Westminster being Westminster, people are now speculating about who will be the new chief whip. This is from Sky’s Lewis Goodall.
Esther McVey for Chief Whip. Much more sensible. Clean skin, woman, sat in Cabinet before. But Williamson appointment's is dangerous for May
— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) November 2, 2017
Gavin Williamson made new defence secretary
Number 10 has just put out this.
The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of Rt Hon Gavin Williamson as Secretary of State for Defence.
This is from Sky’s defence correspondent Alistair Bunkall.
Worth noting at this stage that Tom King was the last Defence Secretary with a military background.
— Alistair Bunkall (@AliBunkallSKY) November 2, 2017
This is from Deborah Haynes, the Times’ defence editor.
Anyone else hearing @GavinWilliamson as a potential successor to replace Sir Michael Fallon at @DefenceHQ?
— Deborah Haynes (@haynesdeborah) November 2, 2017
And here is Sky’s Beth Rigby commenting on this tweet.
I can report he walked into No 10 30 mins ago https://t.co/ZGDnnXMuof
— Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) November 2, 2017
But Gavin Williamson is chief whip, so he is in and other of Number 10 all the time.
The Green party is proposing that “consent lessons” should be included for MPs as part of their induction when they arrive at Westminster. Amelia Womack, the party’s deputy leader, said:
As the number of sexual harassment and assault allegations grows, it becomes more and more apparent that many have no idea what is and isn’t appropriate in the workplace. So many in Westminster are utterly failing to understand the power dynamics at play between male MPs, senior political party figures and other staff like assistants and researchers.
We’re calling for consent lessons to be part of MPs’ induction into parliament and ongoing training should be compulsory – starting now. The sooner we can end this epidemic of sexual harassment the better.
Here are the latest odds on the new defence secretary. We are expecting the announcement very, very soon.
FROM @LadPolitics latest next Defence Secretary betting pic.twitter.com/m6bwTS0WCb
— Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) November 2, 2017
This is from the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg.
Some decent bets on Penny Mordaunt arriving at MOD this morning - I understand it’s not Alan Duncan - nothing confirmed and who knows !
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) November 2, 2017
This is from the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn.
New Defence Sec is not a promotion within MoD, as called for by former generals. PM needs someone there who will cut. Bad news for defence?
— Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) November 2, 2017
Duncan Smith says May wants politicians to set an example
Iain Duncan Smith, the Conservative former work and pensions secretary, told the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire show that Theresa May is determined to ensure that politicians follow high standards of behaviour. She wants them to set an example, he said. He explained:
I’m told, categorically, that [May] was very clear when she spoke to the cabinet about what she plans to do and what she wants to do, and that clarity [led] various members of the cabinet to recognise whatever limitations there were about their behaviour in the past, and to decide whether or not they met those standards. And clearly Michael Fallon felt that that was not the case. He took therefore a decision to resign.
But I think the key element is, not so much on Michael Fallon’s decision, but it’s the reason for that decision. And that reason was Theresa May has made it very clear - I know for a fact she feels very strongly about this - we have to lead in parliament on this so that others recognise they have to put their own house in order.
This is from the Sun’s Matt Dathan.
I hear the new Defence Secretary will be a surprising name... not one of the front-runners tipped this morning...
— Matt Dathan (@matt_dathan) November 2, 2017
Announcement is imminent
Theresa May and her Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar have put on a united front by stating today they still believe the gap between the two main parties in Northern Ireland is small, holding up hope that devolution could return.
The two prime ministers spoke by phone and agreed this morning that it is still possible to resurrect power sharing even after the failure of the latest round of talks at Stormont.
During their telephone conversation the Taoiseach told May that Dublin does not want to see a return to direct rule. An Irish government spokesman said the formation of a new cross community executive was in the best interests of all the people of Northern Ireland.
One interesting aspect of the statement from Dublin was that the Taoiseach did not see Northern Ireland secretary James Brokenshire’s plans for a regional budget as a step on the road to direct rule from London.
This indicates that the Irish government is determined not to be seen to be engaged in any spat with London in the delicate period between now and 13 November when, if there is no agreement between the parties in Belfast, Brokenshire will have to impose a budget to keep locally devolved ministries financially solvent.
Downing Street are expected to announce a new defence secretary within the next hour or so, Sky’s Beth Rigby says.
NEW: expecting the new defence secretary announcement ahead of 11am lobby briefing - @skynews wil have all the latest
— Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) November 2, 2017
David Davis holding talks with Hilary Benn to discuss release of Brexit impact assessments, MPs told.
In the Commons, during Brexit questions, Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, has just asked when the government will hand over its Brexit impact assessment to the Commons Brexit committee in the light of last night’s Commons vote.
Robin Walker, a Brexit minister, said they would be handed over as soon as is conceivable.
Starmer then said he hoped that that meant by the end of this week, and certainly before the Commons rises for a mini recess on Tuesday next week. And he said that the reports should be handed over to the committee in full, not in a redacted form.
Walker told him that David Davis, the Brexit secretary, has already discussed this matter with Hilary Benn, the chair of the Brexit committee, and that they will be discussing it further in due course.
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David Davis holding talks with Hilary Ben, Brexit committee chair, to discuss release of Brexit impact assessments, MPs told.
Sir Michael Fallon’s local constituency party has given him its backing. Graham Clack, chair of Sevenoaks Conservatives, told the Press Association:
He’s been a fantastic local MP and he will carry on being our fantastic local constituency MP. Nothing changes on that.
The Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg told the BBC that women have the right to expect not to be harassed in the workplace. He said:
Generally speaking, I think relations between men and women should be on a well mannered, polite basis, and that men have no business going round putting their hands on ladies’ knees. I think that is not the way to behave.
Justine Greening, the education secretary and minister for women and equalities, told the BBC that political parties need to decide what modern standards of behaviour should be. She said:
There’s quite possibly a debate within the public about what those standards should be and there may be different groups of people who think that, actually, standards should be at different levels.
Some people think that actually we should all expect a bit of this. Perhaps younger people feel that actually this is totally unacceptable. And I think parties are needing to work through what a modern response to this sort of behaviour, and the kind of reports we have seen, should be.
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Former army chief says Earl Howe would make good Fallon replacement
Lord Dannatt, a former head of the army, told the Today programme that Sir Michael Fallon’s resignation was “a tragedy for defence”. He said:
It is a tragedy for defence. He has been a very good secretary of state for defence. He has been in post for some three and a half years. And defence is a complicated portfolio to master. Spending a bit of time in that appointment is really, really important.
Dannatt said that Fallon had come to the view that defence was underfunded and was arguing for an increase in its budget. He said he was worried that Fallon’s successor would not be able to do that so forcefully.
A new secretary of state for defence will find it very difficult to have the confidence to master the brief and start making that case in the way that Sir Michael Fallon was doing.
Dannatt also said Theresa May should replace Fallon from within the MoD.
I think there is a very strong case to be made for promoting within the Ministry of Defence. In the previous Labour government, when John Hutton resigned, Bob Ainsworth, who was a minister of state for the armed forces, was moved up.
I think you’ve got some very good candidates for promotion within the Ministry of Defence, whether it’s Mark Lancaster, Tobias Ellwood or Earl Howe, Freddie Howe, who is the defence minister in the House of Lords, a very competent individual. Whether the prime minister could afford the political risk of having a member of the House of Lords as defence secretary, I don’t know.
Julia Hartley-Brewer, the broadcaster whose revelation that Sir Michael Fallon repeatedly touched her knee at a dinner 15 years ago was the basis for a Sun splash about Fallon’s impropriety earlier this week, told ITV’s Good Morning Britain this morning that she did not think that incident led to his downfall. Asked if that led to his resignation, she said:
No, I don’t believe that for a moment. All the people I’ve spoken to in and around the Conservative party and Downing Street seem to make clear that they expect other allegations to surface. My understanding is that the prime inister felt that it was time for him to go. He’s been a strong ally of the prime minister. I think he’s a massive loss. They must be concerned of this drip, drip of allegations.
I had a text message exchange with Sir Michael Fallon last night because I certainly didn’t want anyone touching my knee 15 years ago, which was done and dusted 15 years ago to be the cause of someone’s career ending. But he’s made it very clear to me that he does not hold me responsible, which suggests to me that there is something else.
Davidson floats plan for UK-wide code of conduct for elected politicians
In her Today programme interview Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, said she had discussed the idea of a UK-wide code of conduct for elected politicians with Theresa May. Conduct in politics had to change, she said. She told the programme:
I spoke to the prime minister ... at great length about this and what we can do on a UK-wide basis in terms of a code of conduct for all elected officials and those who work for the party too, and we expect both parliaments and parties to move forward from this point.
The dam has broken on this now, and these male-dominated professions, overwhelmingly male-dominated professions, where the boys’ own locker room culture has prevailed, and it’s all been a bit bit of a laugh, has got to stop.
(Politicians are already expected to abide by the seven Nolan principles for public life, but these do not address the issue of sexual misconduct.)
"The dam has broken"@RuthDavidsonMSP says Westminster 'boys locker room culture' has got to stop https://t.co/ZBU8KY6GR7 #r4today pic.twitter.com/Ato2cixiJa
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) November 2, 2017
Deborah Haynes, the Times’ defence editor, thinks Tobias Ellwood would make a good defence secretary. Ellwood is a current defence minister. But he is only at the most junior level (he is a parliamentary under secretary, not a minister of state) and he has only been a defence minister since June.
If @theresa_may wants boost for UK-US ties, @Tobias_Ellwood wd make good UK @DefenceHQ sec. Has long friendship with James Mattis, US DefSec
— Deborah Haynes (@haynesdeborah) November 2, 2017
This is from the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn.
I understand the PM has begun a “precision reshuffle”. Only two or three moves in Government, to fill Fallon’s hole with minimum disruption.
— Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) November 2, 2017
Fallon's resignation letter and May's reply
Here is the full text of Sir Michael Fallon’s resignation letter.
Dear Prime Minister,
A number of allegations have surfaced about MPs in recent days, including some about my previous conduct.
Many of these have been false but I accept that in the past I have fallen below the high standards that we require of the armed forces that I have the honour to represent.
I have reflected on my position and I am therefore resigning as defence secretary.
It has been a privilege to have led defence over the past three and a half years.
We are close to defeating Daesh terrorism in Iraq and Syria; we have taken a leadership role in Nato; and we have secured a defence budget that will grow ahead of inflation each year.
I have the utmost admiration for the professionalism, bravery, and service of the men and women who keep us safe.
I have been fortunate in the opportunity to serve in the governments of four prime ministers, and to have played a part in education reform, including setting up Ofsted, the reduction of red tape for business, and the attraction of new investment into energy generation.
I shall continue to support the government and to work hard for my Sevenoaks constituents.
The Rt Hon Sir Michael Fallon KCB MP
And here is the full text of Theresa May’s reply to him.
Dear Michael
Thank you for your letter of this evening.
I appreciate the characteristically serious manner in which you have considered your position, and the particular example you wish to set to servicemen and women and others.
As secretary of state for defence since July 2014, you have championed our brave armed forces and made sure that the government has been able to fulfil its most fundamental responsibility: the defence of the realm.
You should take particular pride in the way the United Kingdom has risen to the challenge of tackling the barbaric threat of Daesh.
Thanks to the bravery of our armed forces, Daesh is being defeated, and three million people have been freed from its murderous rule.
This follows a long and impressive ministerial career - serving in four departments of state under four prime ministers - as well as your distinguished contribution on the Conservative front bench in opposition, your membership of the Treasury select committee, and your role as deputy chairman of the Conservative party.
You have combined these roles with diligent service to the public in two constituencies - first in Darlington, and then in Sevenoaks - and I know you will continue to represent your constituents in that manner.
On behalf of all those you have helped throughout your time in government, I thank you for your service.
Yours sincerely
Theresa
Theresa May seeks Fallon replacement as Davidson calls for wider clearout of sexist politicians
Who would have predicted that a New York Times report about sexual harassment by a Holywood producer would lead, directly and less than a month later, to the resignation of a British cabinet minister? Even at the weekend, when the Sunday newspapers went to town on Westminster sleaze and ended up focusing on a story about a minister getting his assistant to buy sex toys seven years ago, this did not look like a scandal that would end cabinet careers. But Sir Michael Fallon resigned as defence secretary last night and it would be unwise to assume that the cull stops there.
In fact, at the Spectator parliamentarian of the year awards last night, Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, actually called for a clearout of sexists and misogynists in politics. She said in a speech:
Just because we have a woman in Number 10, at the top of the tree in Plaid Cymru, in the Scottish Conservatives, in the SNP, in the DUP, doesn’t mean that sexism and misogyny are somehow resigned to the dustbin of history when it comes to politics.
Nor, when we look at some of the house clearing that needs to happen in the next few weeks, months and years ahead, are we going to say that we didn’t need some pretty big shovels for the Augean stable ...
The house clearing that is about to happen needs to happen and we can never go back to where we were before.
Davidson expanded on this in an interview with the Today programme. I will post excerpts soon.
Theresa May has to find a new defence secretary. We are expecting an announcement today, but Downing Street are signalling that it will be a limited reshuffle.
Here is our overnight story about Fallon’s resignation.
But, as well as a mini reshuffle, there is other politics around today. Here is the agenda.
9.30am: David Davis, the Brexit secretary, takes questions in the Commons.
10am: The high court is due to rule on a claim that the Home Office consultation process about the number of child refugees it would accept under the Dubs scheme was flawed.
11.15am: Theresa May meets the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Downing Street. Later Netanyahu is meeting Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary.
As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web.
You can read all today’s Guardian politics stories here.
Here is the Politico Europe round-up of this morning’s political news from Jack Blanchard’s Playbook. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must reads.
I’m afraid the comments will be turned off again today, at least initially, because with the sexual harassment scandal dominating the headlines, there is too much risk of people posting libellous comments BTL. But if you want to send a message to me, do use Twitter. I’m on @AndrewSparrow.
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