Theresa May has been warned not to ‘tie the hands’ of her successor by hiring a new ambassador to the United States before she leaves Downing Street.
Sir Kim Darroch resigned on Wednesday as it had become ‘impossible’ for him to carry out his duties effectively in the wake of the firestorm over his private advice to ministers.
It followed a tirade of abuse by Mr Trump who branded him a ‘very stupid guy’ and a ‘pompous fool’ and said the administration would have no further dealings with him.
Sir Kim’s position came under further pressure after Mr Johnson, the Tory leadership front runner, repeatedly refused to back him in Tuesday’s televised debate.
Mrs May has been told by allies of Boris Johnson, who is still the favourite to be the next Tory leader and Prime Minister, she should not make the appointment as her final act before she leaves No10.
Sir Kim’s (pictured) position came under further pressure after Mr Johnson, the Tory leadership front runner, repeatedly refused to back him in Tuesday’s televised debate
Boris Johnson (pictured visiting a Wetherspoon’s in London with the chain’s Brexiteer boss Tim Martin today) is facing a massive backlash for failing to back Sir Kim
MP Steve Baker, a supporter of Mr Johnson, told The Times said: ‘It is absolutely vital that our ambassador is able to make a strong, heartfelt case for our future status as an independent trading nation and work with Congress.
‘With all that in mind a new ambassador must be appointed by the new prime minister.
‘It would be totally unacceptable in such circumstances to tie the future prime minister’s hands.’
Theresa May has been told by allies of Boris Johnson, who is still the favourite to be the next Tory leader and Prime Minister, she should not make the appointment as her final act before she leaves No10
And Julian Lewis, the Tory chairman of the defence select committee, told The Daily Telegraph she should resist the ‘temptation for an outgoing prime minister to appoint to a plum job one of her inner circle’.
It comes as Sir Kim Darroch fired a parting blast at Boris Johnson last night after quitting his post.
Diplomatic sources said Sir Kim Darroch used a phone call with the Tory leadership favourite to tell him that his refusal to support him in his row with Donald Trump was ‘a factor’ in his shock decision to quit.
In a personal letter on Tuesday, Theresa May urged him to stay on, saying that it was up to London, not the White House, to decide who represented the UK’s interests in Washington.
Friends said Sir Kim initially accepted the plea but decided he had to go after Mr Johnson refused to back him during a live TV debate with leadership rival Jeremy Hunt on Tuesday night.
Mr Johnson said Mr Trump’s response was ‘not necessarily the right thing to do’, but said he had been ‘dragged into a British political debate’. He refused four times to say whether Sir Kim should keep his job, saying it would be ‘presumptuous’ to give an opinion while the race for Number 10 was still under way.
Theresa May has been warned not to tie the hands of her successor. The favourite at the moment is Boris Johnson, but it could well be Jeremy Hunt (pictured)
Mr Johnson telephoned Sir Kim yesterday to ‘express regret’ at the ambassador’s decision. One source close to Mr Johnson said the ambassador reassured him he was not to blame.
But a friend of Sir Kim said: ‘Boris Johnson’s comments were not the only factor that persuaded him to resign, but they were a factor. Kim was clear about that in his conversation with Boris.’
In his resignation letter, Sir Kim said: ‘The current situation is making it impossible for me to carry out my role as I would like.’
After learning of Sir Kim’s resignation, Mr Johnson expressed his regret, describing him as a ‘superb diplomat’ with whom he had worked with for many years.
But his comments were dismissed as ‘insincere guff’ by Sir Alan – a long-standing critic of the former foreign secretary – who said he had deliberately failed to give Sir Kim his support during Tuesday night’s TV debate.
‘For someone who wants to lead, let alone unite, the country, that was contemptible negligence on his part,’ he said. ‘He has basically thrown this fantastic diplomat under the bus to serve his own personal interests.’
Last night Mr Johnson dismissed Sir Alan’s claims, telling The Sun: ‘I can’t believe they’re trying to blame me for this. It seems bizarre to me. I’m a great supporter of Kim’s. I spoke to him just now to offer my good wishes.’
When asked why he did not support Sir Kim during Tuesday night’s debate, Mr Johnson said he ‘didn’t think it was right to drag public servants’ careers into the [political] arena this way’.
He added: ‘I thought it was most odd that the career of particular servant should suddenly become a test case within a TV debate.’ Last night officials revealed that the police could be called in to find the mole who leaked the diplomatic cables.
Whitehall sources said Mrs May was furious about Sir Kim’s ousting and was considering appointing a successor in her last two weeks in office in order to deny Mr Johnson the chance to pick his own candidate.
There was also speculation that Sir Kim could be rewarded with a peerage in recognition of his 42-year diplomatic career. And Mr Johnson faced the prospect of a civil service revolt over his perceived willingness to sacrifice Sir Kim to appease President Trump.
Dave Penman, head of the FDA union, which represents senior civil servants, said: ‘Johnson and his allies have sent the clearest signal possible to Sir Kim, the diplomatic corps, the wider civil service and, unfortunately, to foreign governments: that civil servants’ professional, impartial advice is needed, but they are ultimately expendable if it proves politically expedient.’
Downing Street said yesterday that officials had held ‘initial discussions’ with the police about whether the leak inquiry could become a criminal investigation.