Defence secretary Gavin Williamson ousted from cabinet over Huawei security leak
Defence secretary Gavin Williamson has been fired from the cabinet after an investigation into the leak of details of a National Security Council (NSC) meeting discussing Chinese tech firm Huawei.
Prime Minister Theresa May wrote in a letter released today that "no other credible version of events to explain this leak has been identified".
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She added it is "with great sadness that I have concluded that I can no longer have full confidence in you”.
Williamson responded with a letter of his own denying he was the source of the leak.
"I am so sorry that you feel recent leaks from the National Security Council originated in my department. I emphatically believe this was not the case. I strenuously deny that I was in any way involved in this leak and I am confident that a thorough and formal inquiry would have vindicated my position."
Last week, details of a top-secret NSC meeting were leaked to the Daily Telegraph after a decision was taken to allow Huawei access to non-core parts of the UK’s 5G networks.
The leak led to uproar and triggered a leak inquiry led by cabinet secretary Sir Mark Sedwill.
In her letter May said she was "concerned by the manner in which you have engaged with this investigation".
May said she put to Williamson "compelling evidence suggesting your responsibility for the unauthorised disclosure".
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Williamson has been MP for South Staffordshire since 2010. From 2016 to 2017 he served as chief whip – during which time he was famous for keeping a pet tarantula called Cronus in his office.
He was appointed defence secretary in November 2017.
Prior to entering politics he was the managing director of a fireplace manufacturer and the director and co-owner of a pottery firm.
Williamson has been replaced as defence secretary by Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt.
She is the first woman to hold the post.
Rory Stewart, MP for Penrith and The Border, has replaced Mordaunt as secretary of state for international development.