Gavin Williamson could receive knighthood from Boris Johnson in bid ‘to keep skeletons in closet’

Former Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is being lined up to receive a knighthood in the next honours list despite widespread criticism over his handling of his departmental responsibilities during the Covid-19 crisis.

The Tory MP, who headed up Boris Johnson’s leadership campaign in 2019 and previously held the post of chief whip, is thought to have knowledge of skeletons in the Prime Minister’s closet – and the reported honour has been interpreted as a move to make sure he stays quiet.

Mr Williamson, who has a reputation as a “master of the dark arts” dating back to his time as chief whip, is widely credited with Mr Johnson’s successful leadership bid in 2019.

The Prime Minister fears the backbencher could open up on what he saw when he was running his leadership campaign, and a knighthood is seen by some as the price for buying his silence.

But such a move is likely to anger teachers, unions and pupils and risks further disillusioning the public as he allegedly held a Christmas party at the Department of Education (DoE) in December 2020.

The party was hosted at the DoE cafe in Westminster and up to two dozen staffers attended.

The DfE did not deny Covid rules had been broken and admitted “it would have been better” not to have held the event while the rest of the country was banned from doing so.

Reports of Mr Williamson being handed the prestigious honour first emerged in the Telegraph shortly after he was sacked from Cabinet last September.

His departure from Mr Johnson’s top team was not a surprise, as he presided over a number of failings, including the 2020 GCSE and A-Level exam results fiasco.

He also came under fire for mixing up free school meal campaigner Marcus Rashford with Rugby Union player Maro Itoje during an interview.

Mr Williamson is understood to have stayed in post for so long because of what he knows about the Prime Minister and No10’s inner workings.

But as the Prime Minister’s future hangs in the balance, Mr Johnson is keen to ensure no new damning revelations emerge, The Sunday Times reports.

As well as handing Mr Williamson a knighthood two other insiders are also tipped to be given the same honour to ensure they also keep quiet.

The paper reports Tory MPs John Whittingdale and Nick Gibb, who were also sacked in the recent reshuffle, are also being lined up for a knighthood.