[Big Arnold]

He's not going quietly, is he? Can a government minister sue for unfair dismissal?

[Boiler]

Has anybody considered that he might actually be innocent - that it's not a case of 'protest too much'?

[Timbo]

Quite possibly, but I'm finding it hard to muster any sympathy either way. We do apparently know for sure that he made an 11 minute phone call to the Telegraph shortly after the meeting, and was the only one present who refused to cooperate with the investigation.

I suspect there is more solid evidence (i.e. a GCHQ phone tap) which we'll never hear about. I can't see May doing this on a day where Corbyn is the lead story for another case of anti-semetism without firmly believing it.

[Big Arnold]

Could be, but you may be confusing me with someone who gives a flying fuck. Although I suppose the court case might be interesting.

[Safe_Timber_Man]

The Sun have taken his side:

THE SUN SAYS Gavin Williamson’s hasty sacking is yet another misstep by Theresa May

EX-Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson isn’t the first to leak from a ­National ­Security Council meeting — if it’s even true that he did.

Besides, what was ­disclosed was in the public interest. That Theresa May is ready to snub our Five Eyes security allies and potentially give Chinese state spies access to our new 5G network.

Yes, it was embarrassing for the PM. So what? Her anger is out of proportion.

We don’t recall her pals Amber Rudd, David Gauke and Greg Clark being fired for breaching Cabinet responsibility to publicly demand a Brexit delay.

And who walked the plank for leaking Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill’s “secret” warnings over No Deal? No one.

The only upside is the highly capable Penny Mordaunt being our first female Defence Secretary.

And Rory Stewart knows a thing or two about foreign aid.

But Williamson’s hasty sacking is yet another misstep by a PM under siege.

[youngian]

Shit I agree with the Sun. Why is this matter an official secret if it is so benign? I'm all for economic partnership with China and sticking the boot into twats called Williamson but the Huawei contract is a serious matter for public debate.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

The Sun has managed to get across a false point. It's not about the Official Secrets Act - virtually every word written, spoken or transmitted in interpretive dance in a government building is covered by that. It's the leak from such a sensitive committee, and the manner in which it was done. The Sun is minimising that angle because it wants to shift May - Creepy Uncle Rupes has decided to be kingmaker. Again.

[youngian]

I have no time for the Sun's motives and blabbing like that should cost you your job but its still whistleblowing in the public interest, not industrial espionage or the Cambridge Spy Ring. My tech journalism years saw me deluged with press releases from corporates and the MoD boasting about their latest super-duper contract. Why be so coy over Huawei?

[bluebellnutter]

[Safe_Timber_Man]

I've got to admit, when the leak first came to light he was the very first person I thought of. It's just something he'd do based on what we know about him. He fancies himself as a bit of a rouge and some sort of rising star who's willing to take on those above him. This is obviously purely opinion about his character rather than evidence based.

The way he's reacted to it is either a desperate, arrogant man who's realised his career is well and truly fucked and is trying to cling on, even if that means "swearing on his children's lives" or they've genuinely got the wrong person.

Personally, I do think he did leak it, or instructed somebody to leak it, and has had a brief think and has decided there isn't enough evidence to stick on him and he's taking the "prove it" approach. Sadly for him, if he took this far enough I'm sure our intelligence services have the nohow to do exactly that and he could find himself in far more trouble.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

I have no time for the Sun's motives and blabbing like that should cost you your job but its still whistleblowing in the public interest, not industrial espionage or the Cambridge Spy Ring. My tech journalism years saw me deluged with press releases from corporates and the MoD boasting about their latest super-duper contract. Why be so coy over Huawei?

I think you need to clarify why this would constitute whistleblowing, rather than leaking for a political purpose, and to take into account the somewhat larger implications of this matter with China and the USA. And they way in which this leak would screw relations with both. And explain why Williamson couldn't raise this in the house as a subject for debate.

[youngian]

And explain why Williamson couldn't raise this in the house as a subject for debate.

Because he's a slimy self-serving lightweight who should have resigned over the issue if he felt strongly enough about it. And yes pulling a stunt like that does damage trust with allies and I have no problem with the sacking. But it doesn't remove the fact that the central issue that has been revealed is more serious than Private Pike's big mouth.

[satnav]

According to a story in the Mail last week.

A senior Whitehall source said Mr Williamson directly accused David Lidington and his officials of being the source of the leak that is now the subject of a massive internal inquiry.

Unfortunately for Williamson Lidington had left the meeting before Huawei was even discussed so he later had to withdraw the claim. Trying to blame another colleague before the leak inquiry had even kicked off probably threw a lot of suspicion onto Williamson.

[youngian]

Eddie Mair interviewing a Tory insider said that Williamson has cultivated a lot of friends and allies in the party and is not to be messed with as he knows where the bodies are buried. Only in the Tory Party could transparently slimy insects like Gavin Williamson, Boris Johnson and Jeffery Archer get away with being well-loved charming schmoozers.

[mattomac]

That Tory insider is probably Williamson’s mate.