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| Sir Kim Darroch: UK ambassador to US resigns in Trump leaks row | Sir Kim Darroch: UK ambassador to US resigns in Trump leaks row |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Sir Kim Darroch has resigned as UK ambassador to the US, as a row over leaked emails critical of President Trump's administration escalates. | Sir Kim Darroch has resigned as UK ambassador to the US, as a row over leaked emails critical of President Trump's administration escalates. |
| Theresa May said Sir Kim's departure was "a matter of deep regret" after the ambassador said it was "impossible" for him to continue. | Theresa May said Sir Kim's departure was "a matter of deep regret" after the ambassador said it was "impossible" for him to continue. |
| Meanwhile, one minister said Boris Johnson had thrown Sir Kim "under a bus" by not fully supporting him. | Meanwhile, one minister said Boris Johnson had thrown Sir Kim "under a bus" by not fully supporting him. |
| President Trump said on Monday that the US would not deal with Sir Kim. | President Trump said on Monday that the US would not deal with Sir Kim. |
| The US president had branded him "a very stupid guy" after emails emerged where the ambassador had called his administration "clumsy and inept". | |
| In a letter to the Foreign Office, Sir Kim said he wanted to end speculation about his position: "The current situation is making it impossible for me to carry out my role as I would like. | |
| "Although my posting is not due to end until the end of this year, I believe in the current circumstances the responsible course is to allow the appointment of a new ambassador." | "Although my posting is not due to end until the end of this year, I believe in the current circumstances the responsible course is to allow the appointment of a new ambassador." |
| The leak was described as "malicious" by Sir Simon McDonald, permanent under secretary and head of the diplomatic service, who told Sir Kim: "You are the best of us." | The leak was described as "malicious" by Sir Simon McDonald, permanent under secretary and head of the diplomatic service, who told Sir Kim: "You are the best of us." |
| He told the Commons' foreign affairs committee it was the first time in his career that a head of state had refused to work with a British ambassador. | He told the Commons' foreign affairs committee it was the first time in his career that a head of state had refused to work with a British ambassador. |
| Mrs May said Sir Kim had had the full backing of the cabinet and had given a "lifetime of service" to the UK, for which he was owed an "enormous debt of gratitude". | |
| "Good government depends on public servants being able to give full and frank advice", she said. | "Good government depends on public servants being able to give full and frank advice", she said. |
| She spoke of the importance of "defending our values and principles particularly when they are under pressure". | She spoke of the importance of "defending our values and principles particularly when they are under pressure". |
| His resignation has prompted widespread support for Sir Kim while some have questioned Tory frontrunner Boris Johnson's stance. | His resignation has prompted widespread support for Sir Kim while some have questioned Tory frontrunner Boris Johnson's stance. |
| Mr Johnson had refused to say, during the Tory leadership debate on Tuesday night, whether he would keep Sir Kim in post if he became prime minister. | Mr Johnson had refused to say, during the Tory leadership debate on Tuesday night, whether he would keep Sir Kim in post if he became prime minister. |
| Following Sir Kim's resignation, he said he was "a superb diplomat" and whoever was responsible for the leak "has done a grave disservice to our civil servants". | Following Sir Kim's resignation, he said he was "a superb diplomat" and whoever was responsible for the leak "has done a grave disservice to our civil servants". |
| Asked why he was not more supportive of Sir Kim, he said it was "wrong to drag civil servants into the political arena". | Asked why he was not more supportive of Sir Kim, he said it was "wrong to drag civil servants into the political arena". |
| Europe Minister Sir Alan Duncan said it was "contemptible negligence" not to support Sir Kim. | Europe Minister Sir Alan Duncan said it was "contemptible negligence" not to support Sir Kim. |
| "He's basically thrown this fantastic diplomat under a bus to serve his own personal interests," he said. | "He's basically thrown this fantastic diplomat under a bus to serve his own personal interests," he said. |
| Tory MP and chairman of the Commons' foreign affairs committee Tom Tugendhat said in a tweet: "Leaders stand up for their men. They encourage them to try and defend them when they fail." | Tory MP and chairman of the Commons' foreign affairs committee Tom Tugendhat said in a tweet: "Leaders stand up for their men. They encourage them to try and defend them when they fail." |
| However, Sir Michael Fallon - a supporter of Mr Johnson - said the Tory leadership hopeful had made it "very clear that the relationship with the United States is what comes first". | However, Sir Michael Fallon - a supporter of Mr Johnson - said the Tory leadership hopeful had made it "very clear that the relationship with the United States is what comes first". |
| Fellow Tory leadership candidate and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told the BBC Sir Kim was "doing his job" and his resignation was "a black day for British diplomacy". | |
| BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said: "Failing to back Darroch last night was the first major act of the still hypothetical Johnson premiership that led to his resignation." | BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said: "Failing to back Darroch last night was the first major act of the still hypothetical Johnson premiership that led to his resignation." |
| President Trump could well wake up this morning thinking he has the power to veto who the UK has as it's ambassador. | President Trump could well wake up this morning thinking he has the power to veto who the UK has as it's ambassador. |
| It wasn't his more colourful remarks on Twitter that really ended Sir Kim's time, but Mr Trump's public announcement that he would no longer work with him. | It wasn't his more colourful remarks on Twitter that really ended Sir Kim's time, but Mr Trump's public announcement that he would no longer work with him. |
| The effects of that were felt immediately. There was a banquet that Sir Kim was immediately dis-invited from. Next, he couldn't attend an event with minister Liam Fox. | The effects of that were felt immediately. There was a banquet that Sir Kim was immediately dis-invited from. Next, he couldn't attend an event with minister Liam Fox. |
| It was clear he was being frozen out and for an ambassador access is everything. Without it, it's impossible to do the job. | It was clear he was being frozen out and for an ambassador access is everything. Without it, it's impossible to do the job. |
| More broadly, it's like this... There's never been parity in the special relationship between the UK and US - it's never been a relationship of equals but right now it seems particular lopsided. | More broadly, it's like this... There's never been parity in the special relationship between the UK and US - it's never been a relationship of equals but right now it seems particular lopsided. |
| The US knows that Britain is fairly isolated right now internationally and needs the US more than ever. Donald Trump has wielded that power mercilessly in this row. | The US knows that Britain is fairly isolated right now internationally and needs the US more than ever. Donald Trump has wielded that power mercilessly in this row. |
| In a letter to Sir Kim, Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill - who is head of the civil service - said that while he understood his reasons for resigning it was "a matter of enormous regret that you were put in this position after a shocking betrayal of trust". | |
| In the Commons, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn described Mr Trump's comments about Sir Kim as "beyond unfair and wrong." | In the Commons, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn described Mr Trump's comments about Sir Kim as "beyond unfair and wrong." |
| In the emails leaked to the Mail on Sunday, Sir Kim said: "We don't really believe this administration is going to become substantially more normal; less dysfunctional; less unpredictable; less faction-riven; less diplomatically clumsy and inept." | In the emails leaked to the Mail on Sunday, Sir Kim said: "We don't really believe this administration is going to become substantially more normal; less dysfunctional; less unpredictable; less faction-riven; less diplomatically clumsy and inept." |
| The emails, dating from 2017, said rumours of "infighting and chaos" in the White House were mostly true. | The emails, dating from 2017, said rumours of "infighting and chaos" in the White House were mostly true. |
| After the row broke, Sir Kim thanked those who had offered him their support, both in the UK and the US, during a "difficult few days", adding that it had "brought home to me the depth of friendship and close ties between our two countries". | |
| The government has opened an internal inquiry into the publication of the memos and police have been urged to open a criminal investigation. | |