The Daily Mail has cited a source close to the defence secretary as saying that Gavin Williamson had lavatory paper with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s face on it, along with a highly offensive expletive in Russian. The insider claims that the roll of paper was spotted by visitors in the Ministry of Defence.
READ MORE: Russia Slams UK Defence Secretary Over ‘Belligerent’ Anti-Russia Rhetoric
Social media has been abuzz at the news, with many netizens dismissing Williamson as a “dangerous embarrassment”:
Pathetic Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson's toilet has paper featuring Vladimir Putin's face and a Russian insult.
— Mats ☮ Nilsson (@mazzenilsson) 20 January 2019
Gavin is a dangerous embarrassment in so many ways….
https://t.co/XVQJkb3WdW
Our present Government and our entire system of Governance has become an embarrassment. And he is a classic symptom of it. The level of unprofessionalism is staggering. For Putin, it must be like playing chess with a 1 month old baby. Utterly pointless to attempt any dialogue.
— Allan Ewart (@Scifiscreen) 20 January 2019
Speaks VOLUMES of this imbecile of Defence Minister.
— Lara Demidova (@Mainrushun) 20 January 2019
That's so insulting to the President of another country. #GavinWilliamson is an embarrassment to the #UK.
— Charlotte Gracias (@CMAGracias) 20 January 2019
The Minister of the toilet!!!😀😀😀
— konovalova (@lorakonov) 20 January 2019
…while another user hypothesised what would happen if Williamson were to ever meet with Putin:
It makes him feel tough I guess,….if he were ever face to face with Putin he wouldn't have enough toilet paper to clean up the mess in his pants 😁
— courtney harlowe 🇷🇺⏳ (@CourtneyBot_XX) 20 January 2019
Williamson made world headlines in wake of the Skripal poisoning, having immediately accused Russia of being behind the alleged attack on the former GRU colonel residing in the UK – without evidence and waiting for the official investigation to be completed.
READ MORE: UK Defence Secretary: More Funds for Royal Navy to Counter 'Russian Threat'
Commenting on how Moscow may respond to the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats from the UK, the defence secretary said that “Russia should go away and shut up”.
Moscow, for its part, said in a statement that it would respond accordingly if Russia’s security is jeopardised.
Williamson has developed a reputation for eccentric antics inside the ministry: he used to keep a tarantula called Cronus before the unusual domestic pet was evicted due to an arachnophobic colleague.
