Gavin Williamson announces death of pet tarantula
Gavin Williamson has announced the death of his pet tarantula, Cronus, who had been a companion for over a decade. The Conservative MP shared memories of Cronus on social media, highlighting the unique bond they shared. Cronus gained notoriety for his role in Williamson's political life, even being used to intimidate fellow MPs.
- ▪Gavin Williamson's pet tarantula, Cronus, has died at the age of 11.
- ▪Cronus was known for living on Williamson's desk in Parliament and the Ministry of Defence.
- ▪Williamson previously mentioned using Cronus to persuade MPs to vote with the government.
2 outlets in our directory ran this story, first to last over 20 hours. All of the coverage we found sits in one bucket: right. That one-sidedness is itself worth noticing.
- ▪ Gavin Williamson’s Tarantula Cronus Dies — Guido Fawkes
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| Original publisher | BBC News — Politics |
| Canonical URL | https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1e2900vd2do?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss |
| Publication time | Fri, 22 May 2026 11:33:35 GMT |
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Gavin Williamson announces death of pet tarantula7 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleElla KiplingGavin Williamson/InstagramSir Gavin Williamson has announced that his pet tarantula, who once lived on his desk in the Houses of Parliament and Ministry of Defence, has died.The Conservative MP shared a series of photographs of him with his "trusty companion" set to Angels by Robbie Williams on social media to reveal the death.Cronus, who had been with the former defence secretary since he was a hatchling, achieved internet fame after reports about his life alongside his owner in Westminster emerged in 2016.While Tory chief whip, Sir Gavin was said to have used Cronus to intimidate unruly MPs so they stuck to the party line."You have to look at all different ways to persuade people…
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