Brexit news – live: Boris Johnson’s renegotiation plan shot down by likely new EU chief, as Tories go to war over ambassador to US

Liam Fox, the international secretary, says he greatly regrets the resignation of Sir Kim Darroch and he "hugely decries" the unpatriotic and unethical leak.

There is a "significant problem" involving workplace bullying and harassment by MPs towards their staff, a new probe into abuse at Westminster has found.

The long-awaited report by Gemma White QC found workplace harassment and bullying by MPs towards staff "has been tolerated and accepted for too long".

"It has seriously affected the health and welfare of far too many people," she said.

"There is a pressing need for a collective response to what is clearly a significant problem.

"I am concerned by the amount of time it has taken to act on recommendations from previous reports and would urge the House to move more swiftly.

"While the House of Commons is not alone in tolerating these behaviours, it is the home of our policy makers and a taxpayer-funded institution. It should therefore be at the forefront of good employment practice."

Sir Alan Duncan is answering an urgent question about the resignation of Sir Kim Darroch, the UK ambassador to the US, in the wake of leaks of his confidential memos criticising the Trump administration.

The foreign office minister says Sir Kim served with the utmost distinction and declared the leak of his comments "an outrage".

He says the tributes paid to Sir Kim are fitting and rightly deserved.

Pat McFadden, the Labour MP who secured the urgent question, said it is a "dark day" for the UK and condemns the lack of mature leadership from Donald Trump.

He condemns Boris Johnson for "an appalling abandonment" of Sir Kim, adding, "real leaders protect their people, they do not throw them to the wolves".

He said these actions were a "chilling warning" of what is to come under Mr Johnson in Downing Street.

A cabinet war over the appointment of a new ambassador to the US has escalated, as one ally of Boris Johnson accused Theresa May of being “in denial” over the fact she must soon give up the reins of power.

The prime minister is coming under intense pressure to leave the choice of a replacement for Sir Kim Darroch to her likely successor, who is thought to be keen to parachute in a pro-Trump, pro-Brexit envoy who can smooth the way to a US trade deal.

But Downing Street has not ruled out an appointment during Ms May’s final two weeks in office before she steps down on 24 July.

MPs are ignoring training to stamp out bullying and sexual harassment of their staff, which remains at an “unacceptable” level, a damning report finds today.

Just 34 out of the 650 MPs have joined a course to enforce a new ‘behaviour code’, introduced one year ago, says a QC asked to investigate the ‘Pestminster’ scandal.

Her alarming report highlights how MPs routinely “shout at, demean, belittle and humiliate their staff on a regular basis, often in public”.

Boris Johnson has been labelled a "casual racist and a misogynist" by Labour's Dawn Butler, who urged MPs to "Chuck Boris".

The shadow women and equalities secretary raised questions about the impact of the race disparity audit and gender pay gap regulations implemented by Theresa May, noting they are "symbolic of her failures".

Ms Butler added: "We now have a real possibility of a casual racist and a misogynist entering Number 10. I'm afraid it's true."

She sought assurances that the women and equalities agenda will "not go backwards" under the next prime minister, adding: "To adapt Stormzy lyrics, we have to be honest, rule number two, don't make the promise, if you can't make the deal just be honest, equalities will never die, it's like Chuck Norris, rather chuck this government and chuck Boris."

Responding to the Gemma White report, Theresa May’s official spokesman said: “The findings in this report are appalling and raise serious concerns.

“As the prime minister has said before, everyone working in parliament deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. There can be no place for bullying or abuse in Westminster or any workplace.

“It’s important that the parliamentary leadership now responds fully and promptly to the concerns raised in this deeply worrying report.”

He added: “The findings of the report are appalling and they do raise serious concerns. Some of the individual testimonies which have been given are shocking.”

The spokesman was unable to say whether Ms May had signed up to attend a training course on the new behaviour code.