title: Factbox: Gavin Williamson - Britain's new defense minister
text: LONDON (Reuters) - Gavin Williamson was appointed as Britain s new defense minister on Thursday after Michael Fallon resigned over his past conduct as Britain s parliament was engulfed by a allegations of sexual harassment. Here are some facts about the 41-year old.     Williamson was previously  Chief Whip , appointed by Prime Minister Theresa May when she became leader in 2016.   Chief Whip is a crucial role which involves enforcing party discipline to make sure lawmakers vote in support of the government in parliament. The term  whip  has its origins in hunting, where a  whipper-in  kept hounds from straying away from the pack. It has been used in parliament since the 18th century.   Williamson owns a pet tarantula call Cronus, which he told the Telegraph newspaper he raised from a spiderling and keeps in parliament.  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 (Members of Parliament),  he said in November 2016.   He was first elected in 2010, representing a constituency in central England. From 2013 he served as former prime minister David Cameron s aide in parliament.   A BBC profile said Williamson is a fan of the British version of the television series House of Cards, a fictional story about a Conservative chief whip plotting to become prime minister.   At the Conservative party conference last month Williamson said of his methods in the whip s office:  We take a carrot and stick approach. Personally I don t much like the stick, but it is amazing what can be achieved with a sharpened carrot.    Giles Kenningham, Cameron s former head of political press, told the New Statesman magazine in July:  He understands the heartbeat of the party, he has a forensic knowledge of what s going on, he puts in the work in the tea rooms and the bars. He knows everyone.    Williamson has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Bradford and before entering politics he worked as a managing director of an architectural design firm   Cameron appointed him a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for political and public service. 