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A key ally of Rishi Sunak has admitted he was told of a bullying allegation against Gavin Williamson when he brought the twice-sacked minister back to the cabinet.
But Oliver Dowden brushed off anger about Mr Williamson’s expletive-laden texts to the former Tory chief whip – insisting they had been “sent in the heat of the moment”.
The Cabinet Office minister also claimed Mr Williamson regretted the language he used, although the former education secretary initially denied doing anything wrong.
On Sky News, Mr Dowden was asked five times whether the prime minister – as Jake Berry, a former party chair has claimed – was told about the complaint lodged by Wendy Morton, the former chief whip.
He ducked the questions, saying Mr Sunak was not aware of the expletive texts, before eventually acknowledging Mr Berry had “highlighted” her protest to the prime minister.
In the texts, revealed by The Sunday Times, Mr Williamson told Ms Morton ““you f*** us all over” in anger at being excluded from the Queen’s funeral, adding: “There is a price for everything.”
But Mr Dowden downplayed the apparent threat, saying: “That is in the past now and thankfully we are in a better place as a party.”
Asked about Mr Williamson’s future, the Cabinet Office minister replied: “The prime minister continues to have confidence in Gavin Williamson as a minister.”
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