Sir Kim Darroch has resigned as the UK's ambassador to the US amid a row over leaked memos that were critical of Donald Trump.

Sir Kim said the furore over the messages, in which he called the US president "inept", was "making it impossible for me to carry out my role as I would like".

According to Sky's deputy political editor Sam Coates, Sir Kim "decided the game was up" when Boris Johnson refused to guarantee that he would stay in position if he became prime minister.

The frontrunner to succeed Theresa May in Number 10 has been criticised for his remarks, although he said in the wake of the resignation that he regretted the departure of a "superb diplomat".

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Mr Johnson's rival in the race for Downing Street, said he "profoundly" regretted Sir Kim's resignation and was "outraged" at the leak.


Foreign Office minister Sir Alan Duncan, a supporter of Mr Hunt, told Sky News that Mr Johnson had "basically thrown [Sir Kim] under the bus".

Sir Kim was 'thrown under a bus' by Johnson

"I think that the conduct of Boris Johnson has discredited him enormously in the eyes of many people in this country," he said.

Sir Kim's decision was revealed in a letter to Sir Simon McDonald, the permanent under secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Sir Kim 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."

Memo leaker 'should be eviscerated'

In the memos, which were published in the Mail on Sunday at the weekend, Sir Kim described Mr Trump as "incompetent", "inept" and "insecure".

He also said the White House under America's 45th president had become "uniquely dysfunctional" because of "vicious infighting and chaos", and questioned whether it "will ever look competent".

:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify,Spreaker

Mr Trump has reacted with fury to the contents of the messages, attacking both Sir Kim and Prime Minister Theresa May.

On Tuesday he called the ambassador "wacky", "very stupid" and "pompous" and again hit out at the PM's handling of Brexit.

Johnson refuses to commit to keeping ambassador while Hunt says he would stay

Mrs May said the resignation was a "matter of great regret".

"The whole cabinet rightly gave its full support to Sir Kim on Tuesday," she told MPs in the Commons.

"Sir Kim has given a lifetime of service to the United Kingdom and we owe him an enormous debt of gratitude.

"Good government depends on public servants being able to give full and frank advice.

"I want all our public servants to have the confidence to be able to do that and I hope the House will reflect on the importance of defending our values and principles, particularly when they are under pressure."

Johnson-backing MP dances around ambassador issue

Downing Street said Mrs May spoke with Sir Kim for around five minutes shortly before Prime Minister's Questions and that a replacement would be appointed "in due course".

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also expressed his "regret".

"I think the comments made about him are beyond unfair and wrong," he said.

Hunt hits back at 'disrespectful' Trump

"I think he has given honourable and good service and he should be thanked for it.

"And I think the whole House should join together in deeply regretting the feeling that he has obviously got that he must resign at this moment."

Giving his reaction, Mr Johnson said: "I think whoever leaked his diptels (diplomatic telegrams) really has done a grave disservice to our civil servants, to people who give impartial advice to ministers.

"I hope that whoever it is, is run down, caught and eviscerated, quite frankly, because it is not right that advice to ministers that civil servants must be able to make in a spirit of freedom should be leaked.

"It is not right that civil servants' careers and prospects should be dragged into the political agenda."

Johnson: 'I've got a good relationship with the White House'

Mr Hunt said: "I profoundly regret how this episode has led Sir Kim to decide to resign.

"He deserves to look back upon his career as a servant of Britain with the greatest satisfaction and pride."

Former Labour foreign secretary David Miliband told Sky News that Mr Johnson was "utterly spineless" for refusing to back Sir Kim.

"There are only two things which are relevant really. President Trump attacked him personally and then Boris Johnson yesterday, it seems our next prime minister, failed to back him," he said.

"That is utterly spineless on Boris Johnson's part, because if a country can't choose its own ambassadors, what kind of message does that send to countries around the world who might seek to take advantage of Britain's weakness."