What the Gavin Williamson saga says about British politics

I wonder if the fall of Gavin Williamson is the latest evidence that British political parties are becoming harder to govern. It seems quite possible that his resignation is part of a story that will see Rishi Sunak struggle to command Conservative MPs to accept difficult choices on tax and spending. Any upset could even bother the bond market. Additionally, this story carries a warning for Keir Starmer. 

Contrary to some of the media narratives visible today, the end of Williamson is more complicated than ‘Bad man who did bad things quits – Hoorah’. Sam Coates of Sky News has written a very good piece about the resignation of Sir Gavin, pointing out that for all the negatives of his public image, there’s a reason that four of the last five Conservative PMs considered him a useful and even necessary part of government. 

In sum, Williamson is good at getting MPs to do what their leader wants them to do.