Theresa May accused of sacking Gavin Williamson as a ruse to try and force through softer Brexit
Brexiteers claimed the PM turned against Williamson because of his support for Brexit
THERESA May was today accused of sacking Gavin Williamson to try and force through a softer Brexit.
Furious Tory MPs accused the Prime Minister of using the Defence Secretary as a scapegoat after she claimed he was leaking spy secrets.
And they even suggested she wanted him out because he has become a staunch Brexiteer despite voting Remain in 2016.
Replacing Mr Williamson in the Cabinet is Rory Stewart, an ultra-loyal minister who has spoken in support of Mrs May’s attempts to cut a deal with Jeremy Corbyn.
John Redwood blasted: “The replacement of Gavin Williamson in Cabinet with Rory Stewart is the net change of yesterday’s mini reshuffle.
“The purpose is clear. Mr Williamson thought we should get on with leaving the EU. Mr Stewart is wedded to Mrs May’s deeply unpopular stay in and pay up agreement.”
Other Brexiteers also stood up for the sacked minister and insisted he was unfairly forced out over the leak of sensitive information about Chinese firm Huawei.
Peter Bone said in the Commons: “The former secretary of state has said that on the lives of his children that he did not leak the information.
“This seems to have been a kangaroo court reaching a decision in secret which we have no evidence to base any decision on.”
Nadine Dorries added: “He has been very badly treated.”
And Jacob Rees-Mogg insisted the real security worry is the deal to give Huawei access to the UK’s mobile networks, rather than the leak from the National Security Council.
Mr Williamson told The Sun last night: “It’s the PM’s attempt at a show of strength.
“She can’t prove she’s strong on Brexit or the domestic agenda, so she has to do something like this.”
The former Defence Secretary was a Remaineer who switched to backing Brexit after the 2016 referendum.
He was a member of the Cabinet’s “pizza club” of Brexiteers who meet to discuss who they can stop Mrs May going soft.
Mr Stewart, previously the Prisons Minister, is joining the Cabinet as International Development Secretary, replacing Penny Mordaunt who is the new Defence Secretary.
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