UK awards knighthood to minister Gavin Williamson who was fired over security leak
March 4, 2022, 10:07 am

UK awards knighthood to minister Gavin Williamson who was fired over security leak

Sir Gavin Alexander Williamson CBE MP (born 25 June 1976) is a British politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for South Staffordshire since 2010.[2] A member of the Conservative Party, Williamson previously served in Theresa May's Cabinet as Secretary of State for Defence from 2017 to 2019, and as Secretary of State for Education under Boris Johnson from 2019 to 2021 (File photo: Official Facebook page)

The Euronews reported, citing Reuters, Britain’s government on Thursday awarded one of its highest honours, a knighthood, to Gavin Williamson, who was fired as defence secretary in 2019 over a national security leak.

Williamson also stepped down as education minister in September last year after parents criticised his handling of the school system through the pandemic.

He was dismissed as defence secretary in 2019 by then prime minister Theresa May over a leak of discussions in Britain’s National Security Council about Chinese telecoms company Huawei.

Williamson denied being behind the leak. May said compelling evidence suggested he was responsible.

The 45-year-old had risen quickly through the ranks of the ruling Conservative Party after he backed May to become prime minister in 2016. He later supported Boris Johnson to replace May.

He was known for keeping a pet tarantula called Cronus in his Westminster office and for telling Russia to “go away and shut up” after a poisoning in the English town of Salisbury that London blamed on Moscow.

The government said in a statement: “The Queen has been pleased to approve that the honour of Knighthood be conferred upon The Rt. Hon. Gavin Williamson CBE MP."

Knighthoods are awarded as part of Britain’s honours system to people who have excelled in politics, the arts, sport, science, business and other areas of public life, along with those who volunteer for charities and community work.

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Under Britain’s honours system, honours committees make recommendations which then go to the prime minister and the queen.

Source: euronews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”