Express & Star comment: Straight talk from Gavin Williamson is spot on

In his early months as the Secretary of State for Defence, the South Staffordshire MP has cemented his reputation as a straight talker who does not suffer fools gladly.

And true to form, his first major speech in post, delivered yesterday, made it perfectly clear just how much of a threat he believes Moscow to be.

In some quarters, his call for Russia to 'go away and shut up', has been derided.

Sections of the left wing press and the pro-Corbyn broadcast media have jumped on Mr Williamson's comments as proof that he is not fit for office.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

For some journalists at the hopelessly out-of-touch BBC, it must be difficult to comprehend the prospect of a Cabinet Minister who tells it like it is.

Compare and contrast his words with the shameful and utterly disgraceful comments from Labour's hard-left leader Jeremy Corbyn, who seems completely unwilling to blame Russia for the poisoning in Salisbury.

This is despite an overwhelming amount of evidence pointing to the involvement of the Russian state, and the vast majority of his own MPs siding with the Government's response on the issue.

If the real meat and bones of Mr Williamson's speech is examined, it is clearly focused on setting out the need for the UK to be prepared for the worst as far as Russia is concerned.

The threat is real, and our armed forces must have the right resources to be able to deal with any possibility.

The metropolitan elite simply can't cope with a straight talker.

They would much rather hear political placemen spouting the party line in the very best Estuary English.

But for many people outside of the Westminster bubble, Gavin Williamson is a breath of fresh air.

He may not be full of the airs and graces of your typical high ranking Minister, but haven't we had enough of mealy-mouthed politicians speaking for hours, yet saying nothing of any consequence?

There are certainly enough of those characters in Theresa May's current administration.

So let the critics have their say.

It's fair to assume that Mr Williamson will not be cowed by their politically motivated views.