Rishi Sunak – latest: Tory civil war deepens as Goldsmith hits back over claim he refused to apologise

Lord Zac Goldsmith has told the BBC that “the PM is wrong” as he countered Rishi Sunak by saying he is “happy to apologise” for sharing his views on the privileges committee investigation into Boris Johnson.

The Tory peer tweeted: “In response to some misleading briefing from Number 10, I’d like to make clear I am happy to apologise for publicly sharing my views on the privileges committee.

“I firmly believe our Parliamentary democracy can only be strengthened by robust exchange and scrutiny and Parliamentarians should of course be free to be critical of its reports & proceedings. But as a Minister I shouldn’t have commented publicly.

“Number 10 asked me to acknowledge that and made clear there was no question of my being sacked if I did so. I was – and am – happy to do so.”

Describing his decision to resign as “a long time coming”, Lord Goldsmith continued that his job of building environmental leadership has “becoming significantly harder on [Mr Sunak’s] watch”, adding: “I am saddened by the damage being done to our reputation globally as a result.

“When I compare what I and my amazing team in government were able to do before the current PM took office with the lethargy of today, I can no longer justify being in government.”

Partygate investigator Sue Gray has been cleared to take up a role as Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff by the appointments watchdog, reports our political correspondent Archie Mitchell.

The former senior civil servant can start working with the Labour leader in September, after serving a six-month delay from when she left Whitehall, the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) has said.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he had accepted Acoba's advice and is "delighted" to be welcoming Sue Gray as his chief of staff.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt defended Rishi Sunak’s approach to the climate.

Asked about Zac Goldsmith’s scathing criticism of the PM’s approach to environmental issues, he told the BBC’s World At One programme: “I just don’t agree and I know the prime minister is as proud as I am that the UK has reduced our emissions more than any other advanced economy.”

Whitehall’s appointments watchdog has criticised “briefing to the media” about Partygate investigator Sue Gray’s move to join Labour as a top political aide, as it said the government had failed to provide any evidence to justify claims of a risk to the civil service’s integrity.

Clearing the former senior civil servant to start as Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments noted that its chair Lord Eric Pickles had “shared” concerns raised by government over the potential risk to the Civil Service’s integrity by Ms Gray’s move to Labour.

But its report added: “There has been no evidence provided to the committee that Ms Gray’s decision making or ability to remain impartial was impaired whilst she remained in her Civil Service role.”

The committee expressed “disappointment on the level of briefing to the media in relation to this application”, adding: “Briefings of this nature, wherever they stem from, are injurious to a fair and confidential process.”

A former Canadian climate minister has shared Zac Goldsmith’s resignation letter, appearing to higlight a section attacking Rishi Sunak’s “uninterested” approach to tackling climate change.

Sharing his scathing letter, Catherine McKenna – who served as Ottawa’s climate minister between 2015 and 2019 – quoted a passage in which the Tory peer states: “I will never understand how, with all the knowledge we now have about our fundamental reliance on the natural world and the speed with which we are destroying it, anyone can be uninterested.”

Tory MP Justin Tomlinson has hit out at Tory party chair Greg Hands after the latter shared footage of a group of Tory activists holding up “Conservatives” placards as they appeared to ambush Sir Keir Starmer as he arrived to campaign in Shelby yesterday.

Mr Hands had shared the footage triumphantly on Thursday, described the Labour leader as a “North London Leftie lawyer and top flip-flopper” and a Tory “trump card” in next month’s Selby by-election – triggered by the resignation of Boris Johnson ally Nigel Adams.

But Mr Tomlinson, the MP for North Swindon criticised the “embarrasing” video, adding: “Elections are won proving your worth, not silly stunts.”

Here are Rishi Sunak’s remarks on Zac Goldsmith’s resignation this morning – which the Tory peer has insisted are not correct, and that he was “happy” to apologise for his remarks criticising the privileges committee probe into Boris Johnson.

As he battles with criticisms on multiple fronts amid the fallout from Zac Goldsmith’s resignation this morning, the prime minister has insisted his new healthcare plans today represent “the most important announcement in NHS history”.

We’re pausing our live politics coverage for the evening but keep checking independent.co.uk for all the latest developments.