����ý

Amber Rudd has resigned from her cabinet post in Boris Johnson's government. Here is the full text of her letter to the prime minister.

"It is with great sadness that I am resigning as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Minister for Women and Equalities.

It has been an honour to serve in a department that supports millions of people and can be such a force for good. I would like to pay tribute to the thousands of people who work for the DWP across the country. They are committed public servants and I am proud of the work that we have done together over the last 10 months to create a more compassionate welfare system.

I would also like to thank you and the Chancellor of the Exchequer for your support in the recent Spending Review. I am so pleased that you committed to spend millions more supporting the most vulnerable in society, and I hope that the Government will stay committed to going further at the next fiscal event, building on the work the department has done.

This has been a difficult decision. I joined your Cabinet in good faith; accepting that 'no deal' had to be on the table, because it was the means by which we would have the best chance of achieving a new deal to leave on October 31.

However, I no longer believe leaving with a deal is the Government's main objective.

The Government is expending a lot of energy to prepare for 'no deal' but I have not seen the same level of intensity go into our talks with the European Union, who have asked us to present alternative arrangements to the Irish backstop.

The updates I have been grateful to receive from your office have not, regretfully, provided me with the reassurances I sought.

I must also address the assault on decency and democracy that took place last week when you sacked 21 talented, loyal One Nation Conservatives.

This short-sighted culling of my colleagues has stripped the party of broad-minded and dedicated Conservative MPs I cannot support this act of political vandalism.

Therefore, it is with regret that I am also surrendering the Conservative whip.

Britain's body politic is under attack from both sides of the ideological debate. I will now play whatever role I can to help return it to a better place.

I have been lucky to have had extraordinary support from my Conservative Association since I was adopted as their candidate in 2006. Three times they helped elect me as their MP, keeping Labour at bay through nail-biting campaigns.

I remain a proud conservative and will continue to champion the values of fairness and compassion, and to support my constituents of Hastings and Rye.

Yours Sincerely,

Amber Rudd"