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In his now infamous leaked cables Sir Kim Darroch said Donald Trump “radiates insecurity.”



As if to prove the UK ambassador correct the US president last night fired off a couple of tweets to declare Sir Kim persona non grata in Washington and, just for the hell of it, take a parting pot shot at Theresa May.



The Prime Minister may be thinking that this a pretty shoddy way of showing gratitude for the state visit but she has only herself to blame for the craven attitude she showed towards the bullying braggart in the White House.



The diplomatic fall out poses an immediate headache for whoever becomes Prime Minister (spoiler alert, it will almost certainly be Boris Johnson) who now has to decide whether to antagonise the US President by standing by our diplomatic service or agreeing to his demand for Sir Kim to be replaced.



(Image: PA)



Those in the UK calling for Darroch (pictured) to be sacked clearly have ulterior motives.



This is yet another attack by the Brexiteers on the institutions which have had the temerity to question their project.



Having turned their fire on the BBC, the civil service, the courts and Parliament, they are now gunning for the diplomatic service.



One of the ironies of the Brexiteers is the way they have sought to destroy the structures which other nations most admire and on which an independent country will most rely.

Our ambassadors across the world are filing daily reports on foreign leaders of a similar vein to Sir Kim’s.



One of the outcomes of this row is they may feel constrained in what they commit to paper which will would deny ministers and officials of potentially useful information and corrode the effectiveness of our overseas missions.



The fall out with the US President should also prompt questions about the status of post-Brexit Britain.



We are cutting ourselves off from the EU at a time when the US is led by a dysfunctional president whose mantra is American First and our relations with China have been soured by the situation in Hong Kong.



It is not so much Global Britain as Lonely Britain.

(Image: Getty Images)

No doubt Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt will be quizzed about the Darroch row in tonight’s leadership debate on ITV.



With Johnson reportedly so far ahead in the race this event has the feel of a dance off after the Strictly judges have delivered their scores.



Both men could also miss a series of crucial votes in the Commons tonight which could, depending on the Speaker, result in same sex marriage and abortion being legalised in Northern Ireland.



All eyes will also be on the Dominic Grieve amendment which, if selected, would effectively stop the next PM from proroguing Parliament to force through a no deal Brexit.



Today's agenda:



9.30am - Theresa May chairs Cabinet.



10am - Sir David Attenborough gives evidence to the Business select committee on clean growth and the environment.



11.30am - David Gauke takes Justice Questions, presumably for the last time if Boris Johnson is elected leader.



2.30pm - Jess Phillips holds Westminster Hall debate on the detention of survivors of trafficking and modern slavery.



2.30pm - Matt Hancock is grilled by the Health and Social Care committee.



8pm - ITV leadership debate between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt.



What I am reading:



Simon Fanshawe on why he has left the Labour Party



and



James Kirkup on how the Lib Dems could seize power