Show Williamson report, says Wrekin MP

Mark Pritchard, MP for The Wrekin, spoke out after Mr Williamson was dismissed from the Government last week. Mr Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, was accused of leaking details from a National Security Council meeting about the role of Chinese company Huawei in building the new 5G mobile phone network.

Informing Mr Williamson of his dismissal, Prime Minister Theresa May said National Security Adviser Sir Mark Sedwill had carried out a detailed investigation, and found 'compelling evidence' that he was the source of the leaks.

Mr Williamson has vehemently denied being behind the leaks, although he admitted speaking to a journalist for the Daily Telegraph the same day.

He said Mrs May refused to show him a copy of the report, and over the weekend failed to answer questions about whether it even existed in written form, or whether Sir Mark had just delivered his findings verbally.

Mrs May said Mr Williamson's sacking should mark the end of the affair, but Mr Pritchard said there were still questions that needed answering.

He said: "Whatever the ins and outs of the National Security Council leak, Gavin Williamson should see the contents of the report which has, to date, ended his cabinet career.

"His continual denials, if true, could mean there is still someone on the National Security Council who is a leaker. How does that mean 'the matter is now closed'?"

Mr Pritchard said the controversy also raised the question of whether there was a conflict of interest between Sir Mark's role as Cabinet Secretary – the Prime Minister's most senior adviser in the civil service – and National Security Advisor.

He said: "The Gavin Williamson incident has shown one of the downsides of any Cabinet Secretary, whoever it is, also holding the post of National Security Adviser, and whether there is a real or perceived conflict of interest between the roles in such circumstances.

"The role of Cabinet Secretary and National Security Adviser should be split."

Mr Pritchard said there should also be an open selection process for the post of National Security Adviser, adding that it should not just be given to a senior civil servant or diplomat.

He added: "In the 'world of naive' civil servants and diplomats never leak, never drive their own agenda, never undermine ministers, never think they are cleverer than the people we all serve, and never think, perversely, they are the permanent government.

"Thankfully, most don't, but some do."

The Metropolitan Police said it would not investigate as no crime had been reported.

But Mr Williamson said he wanted to see a full investigation to clear his name.

“With the Metropolitan police not willing to do an criminal investigation it is clear a proper, full and impartial investigation needs to be conducted on this shabby and discredited witch-hunt that has been so badly mishandled by both the Prime Minister and Mark Sedwill,” he said.

Mrs May said: "This was an inquiry that was properly conducted, it was conducted in the way in which one would expect an inquiry of this sort to be conducted.

"As a result of that I took the decision that it was necessary for the then secretary of state for defence to leave his post."