As well as being under scrutiny in relation to Sir Gavin, Mr Sunak has faced questions about his judgment in reappointing Suella Braverman as home secretary after she resigned for breaching the ministerial code.
When he resigned from Mr Johnson’s cabinet in July, Mr Sunak said the public expected the government to be run “properly, competently and seriously”.
His comments, when he took over as prime minister, were intended to sidestep the controversy that had dogged Mr Johnson’s premiership.
Sir Gavin denied allegations he had bullied staff, claiming he had a “good working relationship” with his “brilliant staff”, but did not deny using the specific words.
In response to Ms Morton’s complaint about him, he said he was “sorry to have been disappointed” and hoped to “work positively” with her in the future.
“Gavin Williamson is a pretty powerful man”
The Telegraph spoke to a number of former cabinet ministers about Sir Gavin’s conduct in government.
One said many MPs who had been harassed by Mr Williamson were too “scared” to speak out.
“There are a number of MPs who have had similar experiences to Wendy Morton but are too scared to say so,” the minister said.
“Gavin Williamson is a pretty powerful guy, but he’s also a very nasty guy. People are afraid of the power he has.
“I don’t think his position is sustainable. But the fact that he is still on the job reveals what Rishi Sunak’s true feelings are about integrity and professionalism.”
A second former cabinet minister described Sir Gavin as a “pretty hateful” man who had a “brutal” and “coercive” approach to running the whips’ office.
A third former cabinet minister said: “Whips who rely on bullying are not very good whips. I think he had a reputation as a bully, long-standing, and he played it off, like with all that tarantula shit.’
Angela Rayner, deputy leader of the Labor Party, said: “This is a reprehensible reflection of a weak Prime Minister.
“Rishi Sunak appointed Gavin Williamson with full knowledge of serious allegations about his conduct and repeatedly placed his trust in him.
“This is yet another example of Rishi Sunak’s poor judgment and poor leadership. It is clear that he is trapped in the dirty backroom deals he made to avoid a vote and is unable to put country before party.
“As families struggle amid a Downing Street-fueled cost of living crisis, another Tory government has descended into chaos.”
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