Gavin Williamson – latest news: Sunak’s judgement questioned as Williamson quits over bullying claims

The Home Office failed to make “adequate preparations” for a predicted surge in small-boat crossings in the English Channel, the chair of a parliamentary committee has said.

MPs have visited the Manston processing centre in Kent following the admission by officials that it had become overcrowded and that thousands of asylum seekers were being detained – potentially unlawfully – in tents.

A drive to find new hotel places to move people into has seen the population at the centre reduce from 4,000 to within the former military base’s intended limit of 1,600, but the government has been warned that the crisis is “not over”.

Our home affairs editor Lizzie Dearden reports:

The former minister said he had decided to “step back” while the complaints process was carried out, but vowed to clear his name “of any wrongdoing”.

The decision to resign follows allegations he sent abusive messages to former chief whip Wendy Morton complaining about being refused an invitation to the Queen’s funeral, claims he bullied a former official at the Ministry of Defence and an accusation of “unethical and immoral” behaviour while he was chief whip.

Here is the resignation letter in full:

The events that led to Gavin Williamson’s resignation unfolded over just a few days.

Read the report from my colleague Kate Devlin, who gives a blow-by-blow account here:

The shock move came after a slew of allegations left Sir Gavin facing at least three investigations into his behaviour.

Claims that he had told a senior civil servant to “slit your throat” were condemned as “utterly, utterly unacceptable” by a cabinet colleague. And his former deputy in the government whips’ office described his behaviour towards MPs as “threatening” and “intimidating”.

Read the details in this joint report by Alastair Jamieson, Andrew Woodcock and Kate Devlin:

Rishi Sunak faces questions about his judgement as Sir Gavin Williamson quit the cabinet after just a fortnight in office.

The prime minister will appear in the Commons to face MPs following the loss of his ally, who stood down after accepting that allegations about his conduct had become “a distraction”.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Sunak could face pressure to explain why he gave Sir Gavin – who had already been sacked by Theresa May and Boris Johnson – a senior ministerial role despite being aware that he faced an investigation in relation to his behaviour.

Read more in this report: