Amber Rudd has resigned from the Conservative cabinet in a disagreement over the party’s handling of Brexit and the expulsion of 21 senior politicians.
The Hastings and Rye MP said in a resignation letter that she has surrendered the Tory whip and now plans to run as an independent in a future election.
Rudd, who was the Work and Pensions Secretary, blasted Boris Johnson and said there is “no evidence” that he is seeking a deal with Brussels and is attempting to force through a no-deal Brexit.
The revelations were made in an interview with the Sunday Times where she attacked the MP’s unprecedented purge as an “assault on decency and democracy”.
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She will fight the next election as an “independent Conservative” away from Hastings seat where she has a majority of just 346, the newspaper reported.
Sources told the Mirror Online that Rudd only informed Boris about her decision to resign by phone- just as the reports were emerging online.
Mr Johnson removed the whip from two former chancellors and Winston Churchill’s grandson after they voted to give Opposition MPs control of the order paper and start the process of blocking a no-deal Brexit.
She said in a statement on Twitter: “I have resigned from Cabinet and surrendered the Conservative Whip.
“I cannot stand by as good, loyal moderate Conservatives are expelled.
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“I have spoken to the PM and my Association Chairman to explain. I remain committed to the One Nation values that drew me into politics.”
Her resignation also means that a seventh Tory will be in charge of Universal Credit rollout which has caused benefits chaos for nearly two million people.
Rudd, a One Nation Tory who became an MP in 2010, served as Home Secretary from 2016 to 2018.
Reaction to her bomb-shell resignation has been swift.
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage tweeted: “Why did Boris give ministerial posts to all these Remainers in the first place? Confused thinking to say the least.”
Former minister Damian Green tweeted: “This is desperately sad.”
David Gauke, the former secretary of state for justice and lord chancellor tweeted: “I’m sure this has not been an easy decision. But it is brave and principled and is all about putting the national interest first.”
Leader of The Independent Group for Change, Anna Soubry, tweeted Rudd’s resignation letter alongside the words: “At last. #respect.”
Ian Lavery MP, Labour Party chair, said Ms Rudd’s sudden resignation was a sign that “no one trusts” the PM.
“The Prime Minister has run out of authority in record time and his Brexit plan has been exposed as a sham,” he said.
“No one trusts Boris Johnson. Not his Cabinet, not his MPs, not even his own brother.
“After nine years of austerity, we need a Labour government that will invest in our communities and public services.”
Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, tweeted: “Johnson government falling apart. He’s being totally found out…”
