Amber Rudd: Work and pensions secretary resigns and quits Tories as Boris Johnson’s government plunged into further chaos

Amber Rudd has sensationally quit the cabinet – and the Conservative Party – accusing Boris Johnson of misleading the country over wanting to avoid a crash-out Brexit.

In a devastating resignation letter, the work and pensions secretary told the prime minister: “I no longer believe leaving with a deal is the government’s main objective.”

Ms Rudd, a leading pro-EU figure criticised for serving Mr Johnson in the first place, also condemned the decision to expel 21 rebel Tories for defiance over Brexit, another reason for walking out.

It was “an assault on decency and democracy” and an “act of political vandalism” to end the careers of respected heavyweights including Ken Clarke, Philip Hammond, David Gauke and Nicholas Soames.

“I cannot stand by as good, loyal, moderate Conservatives are expelled,” Ms Rudd wrote. Ms Rudd has said she will stand as an independent MP in a future general election.

The resignation caps a calamitous week for Mr Johnson, whose Brexit strategy has been left in tatters by the successful Westminster revolt to block no deal while also denying him the general election he craves.

It comes amid an extraordinary new threat by No 10 to sabotage the EU and stop it functioning, to try to force it to cave in to the UK’s demands.

Downing Street believes it has devised a way to make the EU no longer “legally constituted”, paralysing its decision making by refusing to appoint a new commissioner.

Last night, a senior government source insisted the Rudd resignation would not deflect it from its determination to carry out Brexit by 31 October, by whatever means.

The source said the “polls show the public do not back attempts by some MPs to cancel the referendum. Resignations to chase headlines won’t change the fact that people want Brexit done”.

Strikingly, Ms Rudd has not only quit the cabinet but also the Conservative whip, in order to work with the 21 expelled rebels to thwart a no-deal Brexit.

Announcing plans to run as an “independent Conservative” at the next election, she wrote: “I joined your cabinet in good faith; accepting that no deal had to be on the table”.

No 10 had not “provided me with the reassurances I sought” that seeking an exit deal was still the objective.

The Hastings and Rye MP had repeatedly dodged questions over Boris Johnson’s plan to suspend parliament this autumn, an idea she had condemned before joining the cabinet.

David Gauke, one of the Tory rebels to lose the whip, praised Ms Rudd. He also called on other government ministers to act.

“[Amber Rudd] has been extraordinarily brave,” he said. “But her concerns about how the government is behaving reflect the views of many of my [former] colleagues. One way or another, it is time for them to act.

“Always a case for staying at the table. You get criticised by natural allies and, from a distance, it doesn’t look good but you can make a difference.

“But there comes a point – and it’s a difficult judgement – when enough is enough. Lots of good people wrestling with that dilemma.”

The MP’s resignation comes two days after Boris Johnson’s brother resigned from government.

Jo Johnson a higher education minister, said it was impossible to reconcile “family loyalty and the national interest”, adding: “It’s an unresolvable tension and time for others to take on my roles as MP and minister.”

Ian Lavery MP, Labour Party chair, responding to Ms Rudd’s resignation said:“The prime minister has run out of authority in record time and his Brexit plan has been exposed as a sham.

“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.”