Gavin Williamson

"[Williamson speaking to The Telegraph.] Everyone is obsessed with Palmerston and Larry the cat, but in the Whip’s office we have a proper pet. I’ve had Cronus since he was a spider-ling, so I have a very paternal sort of approach. It’s very much the same sort of love and care that I give to my spider as I give to all MPs."

"It’s often described as a cool war that we are entering – I would say it is feeling exceptionally chilly at the moment."

"We are always influenced by the work that we do. Having worked in manufacturing you are always inspired by it, whether it’s the design that goes into products, the production, the science, the technology."

"Every parent wants to know their child is getting a great education and I will leave no stone unturned in my drive to deliver that."

"All children should be in school and not out protesting and anyone who says otherwise is being very irresponsible."

"They school strikers] should be learning, they shouldn't be bunking off and it's very irresponsible for people to encourage children to do so."

"Could be juvenile, he could be ridiculous, he could be horrid and at times he wore his ambitions too brazenly and revelled too much in the dark arts and his reputation for skulduggery. Despite the pithy name-calling, brutal caricatures and wild accusations levelled against him, there is a good person under Gavin’s Machiavellian facade. But if you live by the sword, you die by the sword. And he appreciates that more than most."

"I am delighted that a new secretary of state for education was not just educated within the state system but attended a comprehensive school."

"Natural justice demands that the evidence be produced so his reputation can be salvaged - or utterly destroyed!"