In October the same year, Hancock messaged the then education secretary to congratulate him on his decision to delay A-level exams for a few weeks. Dr Mary Bousted, the joint general secretary of the NEU, defended the role of teachers and education staff during the pandemic, saying they worked tirelessly, listening to the science and acting to protect the school community when the government was doing neither. In another WhatsApp exchange in October 2020, after Williamson announced a delay to exams for the following year, Hancock praised him for his cracking announcement, adding: What a bunch of absolute arses the teaching unions are., Williamson replied: I know they really really do just hate work.. (PA Images) Conservative MP and former cabinet minister Gavin Williamson has been handed a knighthood. Find address SIR GAVIN WILLIAMSON MP VISITS CHESLYN HAY ACADEMY 8th February 2023 Read full article Keep in touch on Facebook South Staffordshire + See activity from Gavin in the area. Hancock also reportedly said No 10 did not want to change the rule of six for meetings to include children during lockdown, even though another minister said there was no robust rationale. On 1 May 2019, Williamson was asked to resign from his position as Defence Secretary, following the leaking of confidential information relating to a National Security Council meeting. Top Stories. He had studied Government and Politics and Economics at A Level. The former education secretary also told then health secretary Matt Hancock that the teaching unions really really do just hate work. A collection of more than 100,000 messages sent between former Health Secretary Matt Hancock and other ministers and officials at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic have been obtained by the Telegraph. Before we perform another U-turn can I have a view on whether they are necessary?, Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you through the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning, Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. May 20, 2021: RHP Gavin Williams assigned to East Carolina Pirates. In the alleged messages, the then-education secretary criticised teaching unions during the pandemic saying that they really do just hate work. Gavin Williamson accused teachers of looking for an excuse not to work during the pandemic, according to leaked WhatsApp messages. During the summer Sir Gavin helped run Mr Sunak's first campaign to become prime minister. Milton, who worked alongside Williamson in the whips office which enforces party discipline also described his behavior as unethical and immoral.. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'millionsofcelebs_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_1',125,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-millionsofcelebs_com-medrectangle-4-0');He went to East Ayton Primary School, Raincliffe School, State Comprehensive School, and the Scarborough Sixth Form College. Helen Whately's miserable morning all goes back to an interview Gavin Williamson gave, in which he appeared to confuse a black footballer, Marcus Rashford, with a black rugby player, Maro Itoje He is from United Kingdom. messages also reveal how a Covid test was couriered to the home of Jacob Rees-Mogg during a nationwide backlog at the height of the pandemic, leaked WhatsApp messages suggest. The former education secretary faced heavy criticism for his handling of the Covid crisis in schools, in particular the 2020 exams fiasco and a number of embarrassing U-turns. "And the government was starting to look to the teaching profession to welcome those young people back into school. Gavin Williamson-Who is Gavin Williamson? For more information see our Privacy Policy. The Guardian has reported that the senior civil servant who worked at the Ministry of Defence has also referred the MP to the watchdog. Cracking announcement today. The BBC has not seen or independently verified the WhatsApp messages nor the context in which they were sent.