Axed Gavin Williamson has called a probe into the security council as a "shabby and discredited witch hunt".

The sacked defence minister said a "proper, full and impartial" investigation should be carried out on the probe.

"With the Metropolitan Police not willing to do an criminal investigation it is clear a proper, full and impartial investigation needs to be conducted on this shabby and discredited witch hunt that has been so badly mishandled by both the Prime Minister and Mark Sedwill," he said in a statement today.

Scotland Yard had said the Huawei leak did not amount to a criminal offence.

Neil Basu, Assistant Commissioner at the Met Police, said the Cabinet Office had not provided evidence that a crime had been committed.

But Theresa May claimed there was "compelling evidence" Williamson was behind the leak – something he denies.

According to reports in the Daily Telegraph, Mrs May overruled five ministers who expressed concern that the company's involvement might provide a route for Chinese spying and undermine allies' confidence in the security of UK communications. 

After he was sacked, Williamson denied leaking information from the National Security Council, and claimed his sacking was a politically motivated decision.

He claimed he had been "utterly screwed" and swore on his children's lives that neither he nor his staff leaked the information.

Downing Street said the PM had "lost confidence in his ability to serve". Williamson, 42, was not accused of a criminal offence.

Williamson, the MP for South Staffordshire since 2010, tweeted: "Huge thank you to all of you for all your support the past few days.

"Enormously grateful to have received so many kind and supportive messages – there have been far too many to respond individually to!"

The dad-of-two was appointed defence secretary in 2017.

Penny Mordaunt has replaced Mr Williamson as defence secretary.

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