LONDON — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
expressed regret Wednesday for appointing a disgraced ally whose resignation
drew harsh criticism of the new leader’s political judgment.
اضافة اعلان
Gavin Williamson resigned late Tuesday from Sunak’s
new government following allegations that he had sent menacing messages to
lawmakers and former colleagues.
Sunak named Williamson as an all-purpose fixer and
policy enforcer when he became prime minister last month, despite his ally
being twice forced to resign from the cabinet in the past.
“I obviously regret appointing someone who has had
to resign in these circumstances,” Sunak told opposition Labour leader Keir
Starmer in parliament.
“Unequivocally the behavior complained of was
unacceptable,” he added, while stressing he did not know of “specific concerns”
about Williamson arising from his past government roles.
Starmer used the resignation to portray Sunak as
weak, after he also appointed Suella Braverman as interior minister to appease
Conservative right-wingers despite questions over her own competence.
The Labour leader noted that Williamson, when he
served as the government’s chief whip in charge of party discipline, had kept a
tarantula in his office.
If Sunak is unable to stand up to a “cartoon bully
with a pet spider, ... what chance does he have of running the country?”
Starmer said.
The prime minister insisted his government would be
characterized by “integrity, professionalism and accountability”, after the
rapid-fire exits of his predecessors Boris Johnson and Liz Truss this year.
Williamson, 46, was sacked twice as a minister in
the past by Johnson and by former premier Theresa May — the latter for leaking
classified information when he was defense secretary.
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