In his evidence to the Covid inquiry he claims he had considered resigning over the decision but instead adhered to collective ministerial responsibility and publicly supported school closures at the time.
When the health crisis began impacting the UK in early 2020 schools closed for the first time in March and started reopening from June that year.
But a decision was made in January 2021 to close schools again as part of a second lockdown amid further waves of Covid infection.
Williamson said he “considered this decision to be wrong” due to the impact of the first lockdown on disadvantaged children’s education. He says he was concerned that “a second set of restrictions would set back children's educational recovery and progress even further”.
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