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Joanna Taylor
Aug 18, 2020
Stefan Rousseau / Press Association
People are noticing something bizarre about a photo of Gavin Williamson taken shortly after he announced a major U-turn on A-Level grades.
Having revealed that students' results will now be based entirely on their teachers' predictions rather than being standardised by a government algorithm, the education secretary posed for a photoshoot with what appears to be... a whip.
Or at least, that's how people are interpreting this Press Association photo taken and shared by Stefan Rousseau.
Photo du jour: Education Secretary @GavinWilliamson in his office at the Dept for Education today after announcing… https://t.co/bQySmppvAp— Stefan Rousseau (@Stefan Rousseau) 1597682012
Seriously, is that actually a whip on his desk?
Sorry, why exactly does he keep a whip on his desk? https://t.co/lqZa6kHB0E https://t.co/muTJ2shZis— Vincent McAviney (@Vincent McAviney) 1597688672
Is that a whip in the foreground? https://t.co/fSE7viLNkh— Matt Kilcoyne (@Matt Kilcoyne) 1597682996
Lots of people made the same joke.
All the people looking at the photo of Gavin Williamson with a whip on his desk and asking if it’s a sex thing. No.… https://t.co/KGU8QsYjY8— Tom Hamilton (@Tom Hamilton) 1597690148
Just in case you were wondering, Gavin Williamson used to be the Tory chief whip https://t.co/F96Z9ssc2f— Sebastian Payne (@Sebastian Payne) 1597683113
"Remember who was Chief Whip, Boris..." Subtle as a sledgehammer https://t.co/cJt3mYd5md— Mark McAndrew (@Mark McAndrew) 1597693530
Forget everything else (such as the err subtle reminder he used to be chief whip), who puts a mug of tea that far a… https://t.co/hpn1wXX6bw— Ben Anderson (@Ben Anderson) 1597694972
Williamson was chief whip between 2016 and 2017 before being sacked over an alleged National Security Council leak, which he has long since denied.
While others questioned why Williamson would pose for a photoshoot in these circumstances anyway.
Also, where is his computer?
Who does a photoshoot after a gigantic balls up. Absolutely fucked these spreadsheets lads, somebody fetch the Niko… https://t.co/00LBe1AyqI— James Felton (@James Felton) 1597684913
So many questions: 1. Why pose for this? 2. Why keep a whip when you’re not a whip anymore? It’s WEIRD 3. Why no la… https://t.co/8hqbLS9cnK— James Ball (@James Ball) 1597683481
A little bit less time on the photo opportunities and a little bit more time focusing on the job in hand I reckon… https://t.co/1PvnMLMtuo— Angela Rayner (@Angela Rayner) 1597683002
One possible explanation is that the 'whip' is actually a riding crop.
But that, of course, just begs the question: why is Gavin Williamson posing with a riding crop?
Why’s he got a hunting crop on his desk? https://t.co/L4Bk1Narme— Jules (@Jules) 1597735967
Another is that it was placed there to fill space by the photographer.
(But, again, why was there a whip to hand in Whitehall?)
"Minister, could we please position a BDSM item on your desk, with a book on top of it and a waste basket protected… https://t.co/DspjxmVvUT— Paul Mason (@Paul Mason) 1597694423
Stranger things have happened for political photoshoots.
@StefanRousseau @GavinWilliamson The only sadder desk photo op was the one of Boris Johnson being sat on the wrong… https://t.co/zNvV4QFgWE— Ian H #BorisResign #DickOut #CorruptTories (@Ian H #BorisResign #DickOut #CorruptTories) 1597685755
indy100 has contacted the photographer to see if he can shed any light on this perplexing set-up, and we'll update you if we hear anything.
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