A Labour MP has slammed Rishi Sunak’s decision to promote a key ally despite their previous dismissal for national security reasons.
Gavin Williamson, a former education secretary who oversaw the pandemic exam fiasco, was appointed minister without portfolio last night.
Questioning Mr Sunak in the Commons, Labour’s Stephen Kinnock accuses the prime minister of trying to “shamelessly swap red boxes for political support”.
He says there are “serious consequences to all this horse trading” and asks whether the PM sought any advice on security concerns about Mr Williamson, who was sacked previously for leaking sensitive information relating to national security.
Mr Sunak says this happened four years ago, although the Labour MP is “right” to raise the topic of national security.
He says that four years ago, Labour was busy supporting Jeremy Corbyn – who had wanted to abolish NATO.
“We won’t take any lectures on national security,” he says.