Sir Kim Darroch has resigned as the UK’s ambassador to the US after Donald Trump vowed to no longer deal with him over bombshell comments he made in leaked diplomatic memos.
Sir Kim said he wanted to ‘put an end’ to the speculation over his future after his heavily critical comments about the Trump administration sparked an all-out diplomatic war between the US and Britain.
The leaked documents revealed Sir Kim had called Mr Trump ‘inept’ and described the current White House as ‘uniquely dysfunctional’.
They prompted the US President to launch an unprecedented attack on Sir Kim and Theresa May as he called the former a ‘pompous fool’ and the latter a ‘disaster’.
Announcing his decision to quit in a letter to Sir Simon McDonald, Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign Office, Sir Kim said the current furore over his role made it ‘impossible’ for him to do his job.
He said: ‘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. 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.
‘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.
‘I am grateful to all those in the UK and the US, who have offered their support during this difficult few days. This has brought home to me the depth of friendship and close ties between our two countries. I have been deeply touched.
‘I am also grateful to all those with whom I have worked over the last four decades, particularly my team here in the US. The professionalism and integrity of the British civil service is the envy of the world. I will leave it full of confidence that its values remain in safe hands.’
Mrs May said at Prime Minister’s questions in the House of Commons this lunchtime that Sir Kim’s resignation was a ‘matter of great regret’ as she appeared to deliver a message to her successor to stand up to Mr Trump.
She said: ‘Sir Kim has given a lifetime of service to the UK and we owe him an enormous debt of gratitude.’
She added: ‘I hope this House will reflect on the importance of defending our values and principles particularly when they are under pressure.’
Her comments came after Boris Johnson refused to guarantee that he would keep Sir Kim in post if he replaces Mrs May, after Sir Kim had started yesterday to be frozen out of formal events and meetings in Washington.
In contrast Jeremy Hunt had leapt to the defence of the experienced diplomat, who found himself effectively blacklisted by the White House.
Theresa May told MPs at lunchtime that Sir Kim Darroch’s resignation was a ‘matter of great regret’
Sir Kim Darroch labelled Mr Trump ‘inept’ in a series of diplomatic cables which were leaked. The leak is now the subject of a formal Cabinet Office investigation
Mr Trump, pictured yesterday during a meeting in the Oval Office, called Mrs May ‘foolish’ and Sir Kim a ‘very stupid guy’ as he continued to respond to leaked comments from the UK’s ambassador in Washington
Mr Hunt said Mr Trump’s comments were ‘unacceptable’ but Mr Johnson was more diplomatic
Sir Kim is already expected to step down as ambassador either later this year or early next after four years in the post.
As the furore deepens the Foreign Affairs Committee will hear from senior Foreign Office mandarin Sir Simon McDonald today for what is expected to be a heavy round of questioning.
Mr Johnson last night said he would not be so ‘presumptuous’ as to talk about decisions he may make if he wins the race for Number 10.
But his Tory leadership rival Jeremy Hunt was unequivocal as he said he would keep Sir Kim in post until the veteran diplomat retires as the pair clashed during a televised head-to-head debate this evening.
Mr Johnson repeatedly dodged the question over Sir Kim’s future, prompting the Foreign Secretary to try to pin him down on the issue.
Mr Hunt said: ‘I will keep him until he is due to retire and I think we would like to know if you would.’
Mr Johnson replied: ‘I am not going to be so presumptuous… what I will say is I, and I alone, will decide who takes important politically sensitive jobs such as the UK ambassador to the US.’
The ITV clash came after Mr Hunt had earlier demanded Mr Trump treat the UK ‘with respect’ as he criticised the US President for attacking Mrs May.
Before the debate the Foreign Secretary said Mr Trump was ‘disrespectful and wrong’ to have called Mrs May a ‘disaster’ and Sir Kim a ‘pompous fool’ as he upped the stakes in a worsening row with the US over leaked diplomatic memos.
The US President had described Sir Kim as a ‘very stupid guy’ who had been ‘foisted upon the United States’ and labelled Mrs May’s handling of Brexit a ‘mess’ before then calling her ‘foolish’.
Mr Trump’s comments added fuel to the fire of what was already an incredibly damaging row between the two old allies after it emerged Sir Kim had called the US President ‘inept’.
The row has now taken over the Tory leadership race as the two candidates battled it out over whether the US President had acted in an appropriate way.