Gavin Williamson's comments on teachers leaves him in detention

The covid WhatsApp leaks have pulled even more people into the mire with Matt Hancock.

The messages, leaked to the Telegraph, appear to show Williamson accusing teachers of looking for an “excuse” not to teach during the early stages of the Covid pandemic.

Arses

Also 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.”

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Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said it showed “an appalling lack of respect for teachers” at a time of national emergency when unions were trying to engage constructively with government.

Geoff Barton slammed Williamson on LBC

Speaking to @NickFerrariLBC union boss @RealGeoffBarton slams Gavin Williamson for his 'terrible, cheap, tribal stereotyping' of teachers during the Covid lockdown. pic.twitter.com/0DqzRTUxip
— LBC (@LBC) March 2, 2023

And on BBC…

Charlie Stayt – Would you be looking for an apology from Matt Hancock & Gavin Williamson about the way you were spoken about?

Geoff Barton(GE, Association of schools & college leaders) – "An apology would be fine, but those people are yesterday's men."#BBCBreakfast pic.twitter.com/MpmbnA2EcO
— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) March 2, 2023

Reactions

Here are what some other people have had to say about Williamson’s alleged comments.

What Gavin Williamson said about teachers in public, vs what he said about them in private. pic.twitter.com/aGMC2qQONo
— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) March 1, 2023

This is abysmal. Williamson and Hancock – two utter inadequates slagging off our teaching profession. Two of the most compromised unprofessional revolting politicians we’ve ever had the misfortune to have in power thinking they are better than the people who educate our children.
— sarah murphy (@13sarahmurphy) March 2, 2023

https://twitter.com/HenryWPWard/status/1631042476382334977

Really?

On #GMB Ben Shephard asks Nick Gibb (the Tory schools minister) how can we trust politicians when they say one thing publicly, and another thing privately. Gibb says we should believe what Gavin Williamson said in public, rather than what he said in private. pic.twitter.com/ATSnUdtwjT
— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) March 2, 2023

Former Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said that teachers were looking for an “excuse” not to work during the pandemic while Matt Hancock described teaching unions as “a bunch of absolute arses” during the height of the pandemic.#lockdownfiles pic.twitter.com/TSBCsxfdYU
— Taj Ali (@Taj_Ali1) March 1, 2023

This was at a time when the Government was publicly applauding key workers who kept the country going in difficult circumstances.
— Taj Ali (@Taj_Ali1) March 1, 2023

My only hope is that at the next General Election the Tories get the biggest kicking from the electorate in UK political history.

Please, everyone, make it happen. https://t.co/RDy23PQKQt
— Marcus Chown (@marcuschown) March 2, 2023

This is what they think of normal working people. Fucking scumbags. https://t.co/lLrbBSATRt
— the hanged man (@KingJacobIV) March 2, 2023

Whilst education unions were trying to save lives, this lot were apparently running the government

Love unions. Don't vote Tory https://t.co/CWe8LNiC7z
— UCU (@ucu) March 2, 2023

10.

Conservative ideology is, at its heart, just your uncle talking out of his arse down the pub based on something he half-remembers seeing on the news https://t.co/B8BIwXB4Rs
— Ryan Coogan (@theothercoogan) March 2, 2023

Or this *shivers* ?!