Gavin Williamson

Sir Gavin Alexander Williamson (born 25 June 1976) is a British politician who served in various Cabinet positions under Prime Ministers Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak between 2016 and 2022. A member of the Conservative Party, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge, formerly South Staffordshire, since 2010. Williamson previously served as Government Chief Whip from 2016 to 2017 and Secretary of State for Defence from 2017 to 2019 under May, as Secretary of State for Education from 2019 to 2021 under Johnson, and as Minister of State without Portfolio in 2022 under Sunak. Williamson was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, and was educated at Raincliffe School, Scarborough Sixth Form College and the University of Bradford. He was chair of a Conservative student body from 1997 to 1998. He served on the North Yorkshire County Council from 2001 to 2005. In the 2005 general election, he stood to become MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood, without success. Williamson was elected as MP for South Staffordshire at the 2010 general election. He served in David Cameron's governments as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Transport, aiding Patrick McLoughlin, prior to being appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister in October 2013. Following Cameron's resignation, Williamson supported Theresa May's bid to become Conservative leader; May appointed Williamson as Chief Whip in her first government in July 2016. He later served as Secretary of State for Defence from November 2017 to May 2019, when he was dismissed following a leak from the National Security Council; Williamson denied leaking the information about Huawei's potential involvement in the British 5G network. After supporting Boris Johnson's campaign to succeed May as Conservative leader, Williamson returned to the cabinet as Secretary of State for...