Brevia Consulting is providing a weekly round-up and analysis of the UK headlines. This week, read about Gavin Williamson’s resignation following allegations of bullying, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s time at the COP27 summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, and the ongoing negotiations to resolve the deadlock at Stormont.
GAVIN WILLIAMSON RESIGNS AMID BULLYING ALLEGATIONS
Earlier this week, Gavin Williamson resigned from his position as Minister of State at the Cabinet Office following allegations of bullying. The backlash began after the Sunday Times published a text exchange between Williamson and then-Chief Whip Wendy Morton, which contained several abusive messages to Morton. Public criticism grew when a senior civil servant told the Guardian that Williamson had told them to ’slit your throat’ when serving as Defence Secretary under Theresa May.[1] In his resignation letter to the Prime Minister on 8 November, Williamson refuted ‘the characterisation of these claims’, but recognised that they were ‘becoming a distraction’ to the government’s work.[2] The former minister has now been referred to the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme, which serves as the bullying watchdog for MPs.
COP27: HOPES FOR ERA OF IMPLEMENTATION
World leaders convened in Egypt this week for the COP27 summit. Dubbed the ‘Africa COP’, it is hoped that this summit will encourage strengthened national plans for reducing emissions, as well as delivery from richer nations on their climate finance pledges for nations on the frontlines of climate change.[3] In a short speech delivered on Monday, Rishi Sunak stated it is ‘morally right’ for the UK to honour its climate commitments, but failed to provide further detail on how the government plans to do this, leading many to question the substance of his words.[4] Speaking just hours earlier at a COP27 fringe event, former PM Boris Johnson cautioned that nations should not look ’backwards’ in the fight against climate change and stated that no country had the financial resources for climate reparations.[5] With another week of proceedings left, it remains to be seen what the summit will deliver.
PM PURSUES STORMONT SOLUTION AT BRITISH-IRISH COUNCIL
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak became the first UK head of government to attend the British-Irish Council since 2007. He used the opportunity to speak to Irish Premier, Micheál Martin, as the search for a solution to the Stormont deadlock continues.[6] With the DUP still refusing to return to power-sharing, due to its Northern Ireland protocol concerns, civil servants represented Northern Ireland at the British-Irish Council. The Government has extended the window for Northern Ireland elections to take place in order to help find a solution that can see devolved government there resumed. Irish Foreign Minister, Simon Coveney, welcomed the move, saying it provides further space for UK-EU talks.[7]
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Notes
[1] The Guardian, ‘Senior civil servant claims Gavin Williamson told them to ‘slit your throat’’, 7 November 2022, Link
[2] Gavin Williamson, Twitter, 8 November 2022, Link
[3] BBC News, ‘COP27: Time to pay the climate bill – vulnerable nations’, 9 November 2022, Link
[4] Prime Minister’s Office, ‘PM statement at COP27’, 7 November 2022, Link
[5] The Guardian, ‘Cop27: Sunak says it is ‘morally right’ for UK to honour climate pledges’, 7 November 2022, Link
[6] BBC News, ‘Rishi Sunak set to meet Irish PM amid Stormont stalemate’, 10 November 2022, Link
[7] BBC News, ’Stormont stalemate: Heaton-Harris pushes back NI election deadline’, 9 November 2022, Link
