Amber Rudd quits Cabinet and Tories in new setback to Boris Johnson
Amber Rudd has sensationally quit the Cabinet and the Conservative Party in protest at Boris Johnson's handling of Brexit.
The Hastings and Rye MP has quit her post as work and pensions secretary and said she was relinquishing the Tory whip after the Prime Minister sacked 21 rebels this week.
Mr Johnson removed the whip from two former chancellors and Winston Churchill's grandson after they voted to give Opposition MPs control of the order paper and start the process of blocking a no-deal Brexit.
I have resigned from Cabinet and surrendered the Conservative Whip.
I cannot stand by as good, loyal moderate Conservatives are expelled.
I have spoken to the PM and my Association Chairman to explain.
I remain committed to the One Nation values that drew me into politics. pic.twitter.com/kYmZHbLMES— Amber Rudd MP (@AmberRuddHR) September 7, 2019
Ms Rudd declared: "I cannot stand by as good, loyal moderate Conservatives are expelled.
"I have spoken to the PM and my Association Chairman to explain. I remain committed to the One Nation values that drew me into politics."
Former minister Damian Green tweeted: "This is desperately sad."
Leader of The Independent Group for Change, Anna Soubry, tweeted Rudd's resignation letter alongside the words: "At last. #respect."
Former Conservative MP and minister Nick Boles – who quit the party in April after his soft Brexit plan failed – tweeted: "Everyone has a point beyond which they cannot be pushed.
"Amber Rudd has reached hers. How much more of the party he inherited will Johnson destroy before he has second thoughts or is stopped by his Cabinet colleagues?"
