Minister who made his secretary buy sex toys sacked by Theresa May despite being cleared of breaking ministerial code
Mark Garnier said he was ‘very sad’ to lose his job in the trade department in the Prime Minister’s reshuffle as she clears out older MPs to make way for younger Tories
THE MINISTER who made his secretary buy him sex toys has been sacked by Theresa May this morning despite being cleared of breaking the ministerial code.
Mark Garnier said he was “very sad” to lose his job in the trade department in the Prime Minister’s reshuffle as she clears out older MPs to make way for younger Tories to enter Government.
The 54-year-old was the subject of a Cabinet Office inquiry at the end of last year amid claims he had also used derogatory language to Caroline Edmondson, who used to work for him.
But an investigation concluded there was "no evidence" to suggest he had broken the rules governing ministers’ conduct, despite her testifying he had called her “sugar t**s”.
Mr Garnier said when the allegations surfaced last October that: "I'm not going to deny it, because I'm not going to be dishonest.
“I'm going to have to take it on the chin."
But although the investigation found there was "no dispute about the facts of the incident" – it said there was "a significant difference of interpretation between the parties”.
At the time a spokesman for Number 10 said: "It was not his intention to cause distress, and Mr Garnier has apologised unreservedly to the individual.
"On that basis, the Prime Minister considers that a line should be drawn under the issue."
However today Mr Garnier, the MP for Wyre Forest, revealed he had been relieved of his role under Liam Fox that he has held since July 2016.
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He tweeted this morning: “Very sad to have lost my job at the Department for International Trade but looking forward to supporting Theresa May’s Government from the backbenches.”
The BBC are reporting that a Downing Street source is saying his exit has nothing to do with the allegations of inappropriate behaviour - but about opening up space for new ministers.
The announcement was made alongside a raft of sackings for junior members of Government, including health minister Philip Dunne, transport minister John Hayes, and children’s minister Robert Goodwill.