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Home Politics

Reaction pours in as Gavin Williamson, the twice-sacked minister who oversaw exams fiasco, is knighted

Richard Burgon said this is "the most corrupt government in our modern history" following the announcement.

Jack Peat by Jack Peat
2022-03-04 07:39
in Politics
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Social media was awash with reaction last night after Gavin Williamson was handed a knighthood by Boris Johnson.

Downing Street said on Thursday that the Queen has approved the honour for the Tory MP, who was widely criticised for a series of errors as education secretary.

The prime minister sacked Mr Williamson from that role in September and he was previously dumped as defence secretary following an inquiry into a leak from the National Security Council.

It was understood the knighthood was being given to the 45-year-old who helped run Mr Johnson’s successful 2019 campaign to succeed Theresa May as Tory leader on the basis of his political and public service.

“Reward for failure”

Labour’s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting tweeted: “Reward for failure. Shameless.”

A gathering held in the education department under his watch during Covid restrictions was investigated by senior civil servant Sue Gray, but was ultimately not part of the police inquiry.

Mr Williamson, the MP for South Staffordshire, reportedly gave a short speech at the event on December 10 2020, while London was under Tier 2 measures banning social mixing between households.

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He clung on as education secretary for more than two years despite being battered by repeated calls for his resignation.

His handling of disruption to schools during the height of the pandemic and the grading of GCSEs and A-levels after exams were cancelled was widely seen as disastrous.

He was also criticised for confusing free school meals campaigning footballer Marcus Rashford with England rugby star Maro Itoje. Both men are black.

Reaction

Needless to say, reaction to the news on social media has been pretty fierce.

Here’s what people had to say.

Confusion over exams at the start of lockdown. No proper transition to home learning. Children without laptops. Thousands dropped out of education. The algorithm destroyed Uni places. Gap between state and private widened. How does that get rewarded like this? https://t.co/M1zOKf01wR

— Susanna Reid (@susannareid100) March 3, 2022

Gavin Williamson:

left children to go hungry

created two years of complete chaos over exams

failed to get laptops out to kids struggling to learn during lockdown

And now it’s Sir Gavin.

Utter contempt for children and education staff.https://t.co/OyVpV6doDg

— Bridget Phillipson (@bphillipsonMP) March 3, 2022

One does have to wonder…does Williamson know where all the horcuxes are hidden…I can’t think of any other reason why he has been honoured for doing such an abominable job. https://t.co/xir7S0R8Js

— Layla Moran 🔶 (@LaylaMoran) March 3, 2022

NEW: Boris Johnson awards Gavin Williamson a knighthood.

Why *now*? In middle of Russian crisis?

He was appointed defence secretary in Nov 2017 at exact moment, FBI revealed its Trump-Russia investigation began in London.

Is this relevant?
1/ https://t.co/0D9cs8711u

— Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) March 3, 2022

Sir Gavin and Lady Williamson. The utter Johnsoniam corruption of the honours system. And you just know he’s thinking nobody will care much because there’s a war on. I wonder if he has promised a few Ks to the oligarchs?

— ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@campbellclaret) March 3, 2022

Earlier this year it was reported that Boris Johnson could hand Gavin Williamson a knighthood "to keep skeletons in closet".

Well guess what?

Boris Johnson just handed Gavin Williamson a knighthood.

— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) March 3, 2022

As if our govt wasn’t grubby enough in its corruption and its total lack of principle… we now have Gavin Numbnut Williamson as a Lord.
For services to idiocy, breaching the ministerial code and being quite startlingly shit when he was put in charge of education. #whatajoke

— sarah murphy (@13sarahmurphy) March 3, 2022

Key workers who kept us going during the pandemic are now having to fight for pay rises whilst Gavin Williamson who oversaw disaster after disaster gets rewarded with a knighthood. The story of this country.

— Liam Young (@liamyoung) March 3, 2022

Gavin Williamson has been knighted.

This is the most corrupt government in our modern history.

— Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) March 3, 2022

Related: World War Three ‘can only be nuclear’, Russia’s foreign minister warns

Tags: Gavin Williamson

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