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| Johnson under fire as Kim Darroch quits as UK ambassador to US | Johnson under fire as Kim Darroch quits as UK ambassador to US |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Sir Kim Darroch, the UK ambassador to Washington who has been at the centre of a diplomatic row over leaked cables criticising Donald Trump, has resigned. | Sir Kim Darroch, the UK ambassador to Washington who has been at the centre of a diplomatic row over leaked cables criticising Donald Trump, has resigned. |
| The Guardian understands he concluded his position was untenable having watched the Conservative leadership debate on Tuesday, in which the frontrunner, Boris Johnson, stopped short of backing him over the leak. | The Guardian understands he concluded his position was untenable having watched the Conservative leadership debate on Tuesday, in which the frontrunner, Boris Johnson, stopped short of backing him over the leak. |
| Darroch’s decision brought the immediate crisis to an end – but sparked a new round of political recrimination in the UK, as well as demands for answers on the identity of the leaker and fears that the transatlantic diplomatic calculus could have permanently shifted. | Darroch’s decision brought the immediate crisis to an end – but sparked a new round of political recrimination in the UK, as well as demands for answers on the identity of the leaker and fears that the transatlantic diplomatic calculus could have permanently shifted. |
| After the ambassador submitted his resignation, explaining that he felt that speculation over his future was “making it impossible for me to carry out my role as I would like”, Johnson faced sharp criticism over his role in the affair, with one minister accusing him of throwing the ambassador “under the bus”. | After the ambassador submitted his resignation, explaining that he felt that speculation over his future was “making it impossible for me to carry out my role as I would like”, Johnson faced sharp criticism over his role in the affair, with one minister accusing him of throwing the ambassador “under the bus”. |
| And in language that will be viewed as an implicit criticism of Johnson’s failure to back Darroch, Theresa May told MPs: “I hope the house will reflect on the importance of defending our values and principles, particularly when they are under pressure.” | And in language that will be viewed as an implicit criticism of Johnson’s failure to back Darroch, Theresa May told MPs: “I hope the house will reflect on the importance of defending our values and principles, particularly when they are under pressure.” |
| But even as Darroch stepped down, the tremors caused by the leak continued to reverberate, with Sir Simon McDonald, the permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office, telling the foreign affairs select committee that he had been forced to call an all-staff meeting to reassure concerned diplomats and warning that he feared more leaks would follow. | But even as Darroch stepped down, the tremors caused by the leak continued to reverberate, with Sir Simon McDonald, the permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office, telling the foreign affairs select committee that he had been forced to call an all-staff meeting to reassure concerned diplomats and warning that he feared more leaks would follow. |
| “People are shaken by what has happened and there is a reason why I have asked to see all my colleagues,” he said. “The basis on which we have worked all our careers suddenly feels challenged.” | “People are shaken by what has happened and there is a reason why I have asked to see all my colleagues,” he said. “The basis on which we have worked all our careers suddenly feels challenged.” |
| McDonald, the head of the diplomatic service, said police were now involved in the inquiry, and added that attention would be focused on recipients of highly sensitive emails that were in some cases sent to as few as five or 10 people. | |
| Describing the episode as a personal tragedy for Darroch, he told MPs: “We will pursue the culprit with all the means at our disposal. The leaker is guilty of the worst breach of trust in our service in my career.” | Describing the episode as a personal tragedy for Darroch, he told MPs: “We will pursue the culprit with all the means at our disposal. The leaker is guilty of the worst breach of trust in our service in my career.” |
| Asked whether in an episode such as this it would be expected that the entire establishment would support Darroch, he said yes, adding the Foreign Office had noted with gratitude the support given to Darroch by the prime minister and the foreign secretary. He made no mention of Boris Johnson. | |
| The drama that resulted in Darroch’s resignation had begun at the weekend with the leak of a series of confidential memos in which the ambassador said Trump’s administration was seen as “incompetent”, “inept” and “insecure”. | |
| In a letter to McDonald, the most senior official at the Foreign Office, Darroch said the ensuing row, in which Trump called the ambassador “a pompous fool” and “very stupid”, meant he could not continue. | In a letter to McDonald, the most senior official at the Foreign Office, Darroch said the ensuing row, in which Trump called the ambassador “a pompous fool” and “very stupid”, meant he could not continue. |
| Kim Darroch: effectively sacked by Johnson on the orders of Trump | Kim Darroch: effectively sacked by Johnson on the orders of Trump |
| “Since the leak of official documents from this embassy, there has been a great deal of speculation surrounding my position and the duration of my remaining term as ambassador,” he wrote. “I want to put an end to that speculation. The current situation is making it impossible for me to carry out my role as I would like.” | “Since the leak of official documents from this embassy, there has been a great deal of speculation surrounding my position and the duration of my remaining term as ambassador,” he wrote. “I want to put an end to that speculation. The current situation is making it impossible for me to carry out my role as I would like.” |
| Replying to the letter, McDonald said Darroch had been the target of “a malicious leak” and expressed gratitude for his work. “You are the best of us,” he wrote. | Replying to the letter, McDonald said Darroch had been the target of “a malicious leak” and expressed gratitude for his work. “You are the best of us,” he wrote. |
| The announcement came immediately before prime minister’s questions. No 10 said May had spoken to Darroch directly for about five minutes at about 11.30am. By this time, he had already spoken to McDonald. | |
| May told the House of Commons she had told Darroch it was “a matter of great regret that he has felt it necessary to leave his position”. | May told the House of Commons she had told Darroch it was “a matter of great regret that he has felt it necessary to leave his position”. |
| She added: “Sir Kim has given a lifetime of service to the United Kingdom and we owe him an enormous debt of gratitude. Good government depends on public servants being able to give full and frank advice. I want all our public servants to have the confidence to be able to do that.” | She added: “Sir Kim has given a lifetime of service to the United Kingdom and we owe him an enormous debt of gratitude. Good government depends on public servants being able to give full and frank advice. I want all our public servants to have the confidence to be able to do that.” |
| Jeremy Corbyn called the treatment of Darroch “beyond unfair and wrong” and said he had given “honourable and good service”. | Jeremy Corbyn called the treatment of Darroch “beyond unfair and wrong” and said he had given “honourable and good service”. |
| The White House did not put out a formal statement on Darroch’s resignation. Marc Short, chief of staff for the vice-president, Mike Pence, offered only a brief comment to reporters in Washington on Wednesday. | |
| “I think the reality was that in light of the last few days his ability to be effective was probably limited, so it was probably the right course,” Short said. | “I think the reality was that in light of the last few days his ability to be effective was probably limited, so it was probably the right course,” Short said. |
| The criticism of Johnson was based on his choice of language in Tuesday night’s Conservative leadership debate, in which he refused to give Darroch his support, even as his rival, Jeremy Hunt, said he would expect the ambassador to stay in post until his planned retirement. | |
| When pressed on the point, Johnson gave only mild criticism of Trump and said a good relationship with the US was “of fantastic importance”. | When pressed on the point, Johnson gave only mild criticism of Trump and said a good relationship with the US was “of fantastic importance”. |
| Sir Alan Duncan, a Foreign Office minister, said Johnson had thrown Darroch “under the bus to serve his own personal interests” and accused him of “contemptible negligence”. | Sir Alan Duncan, a Foreign Office minister, said Johnson had thrown Darroch “under the bus to serve his own personal interests” and accused him of “contemptible negligence”. |
| There is now speculation about when the new ambassador will be appointed, particularly whether the decision will be made before May leaves office in just over two weeks. Her spokesman said only that the choice would be made “in due course”. | There is now speculation about when the new ambassador will be appointed, particularly whether the decision will be made before May leaves office in just over two weeks. Her spokesman said only that the choice would be made “in due course”. |
| Hunt, the foreign secretary, said in a statement on Wednesday that he was “deeply saddened” by the outcome, adding: “Whenever I visited Washington as foreign secretary, I was struck by Sir Kim’s professionalism and intellect. I am outraged that a selection of his reports should have been leaked.” | Hunt, the foreign secretary, said in a statement on Wednesday that he was “deeply saddened” by the outcome, adding: “Whenever I visited Washington as foreign secretary, I was struck by Sir Kim’s professionalism and intellect. I am outraged that a selection of his reports should have been leaked.” |
| At the foreign affairs committee hearing, McDonald said that there had been a great deal of soul-searching about the leak and added that he knew of no precedent where a friendly power had refused to cooperate with a serving British ambassador. | At the foreign affairs committee hearing, McDonald said that there had been a great deal of soul-searching about the leak and added that he knew of no precedent where a friendly power had refused to cooperate with a serving British ambassador. |
| “This is not the first time a British ambassador has left post or resigned because of actions against the host government,” he said. But usually they are governments with whom we have problematic relations rather than friendly relations.” | “This is not the first time a British ambassador has left post or resigned because of actions against the host government,” he said. But usually they are governments with whom we have problematic relations rather than friendly relations.” |
| Asked what the impact would be for transatlantic relations he said: “It is too soon to have a complete or authoritative judgment. Nothing like this has ever happened. There must be consequences.” He later insisted the special relationship was so deep and so wide that it could survive any individual squall. | |
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