A TORY former Cabinet minister has been told to deliver an “unreserved” apology to a colleague he was found to have bullied after he was snubbed for tickets to the Queen’s funeral.
Gavin Williamson, who served as defence secretary and most recently as minister without portfolio, was found to have sent “offensive and intimidating” texts to then-government chief whip Wendy Morton after he was passed over for an invite to Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September last year.
The funeral was held in Westminster Abbey while Williamson, now returned to the backbenches, was in the Cabinet.
Williamson resigned from Government after his texts to Morton were revealed and other allegations about his conduct were made public, including an exchange where he warned his colleague: “There is a price for everything”.
He additionally told the then-chief whip, a position he had also previously held, her conduct in excluding him from the ceremony was “absolutely disgusting” adding that she had chosen to “f**k us all over”.
Williamson also faced allegations he had bullied colleagues in other Cabinet posts, something he strongly denied.
Parliament’s sleaze watchdog, the Independent Expert Panel, ordered the former minister to make an “unreserved” apology to Morton in the House of Commons and to undertake behaviour training.
The National has approached Williamson for comment.
