Boris Johnson resignation: Theresa May responds with cutting letter to former foreign secretary

Mr Johnson dramatically walked away from government on Monday, saying he could not support a Brexit plan that left the UK as a 'colony' of the EU

Theresa May has published a pointed response to Boris Johnson's resignation, telling the foreign secretary it was "right [he] should step down" if he cannot support her Brexit deal.

The prime minister said she was "sorry - and a little surprised" that Mr Johnson had decided to quit after their "productive discussion" at Chequers on Friday, where Ms May had sought to unite her warring ministers around her EU exit strategy.

Despite signing up to her plan last week, Mr Johnson dramatically walked away from government on Monday, saying he could not support a Brexit plan that left the UK as a "colony" of the EU.

In an icily-worded letter to Mr Johnson, the prime minister said: "As I outlined at Chequers, the agreement we reached requires the full collective support of Her Majesty's Government.

"During the EU referendum campaign, collective responsibility on EU policy was temporarily suspended. As we developed our policy on Brexit, I have allowed Cabinet colleagues considerable latitude to express their views.

"But the agreement we reached on Friday marks the point where that is no longer the case, and if you are not able to provide the support we need to secure this deal in the interests of the United Kingdom, it is right that you should step down."

Read the letter in full below

Dear Boris,

Thank you for your letter relinquishing the office of Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

I am sorry - and a little surprised - to receive it after the productive discussions we had at Chequers on Friday, and the comprehensive and detailed proposals which we agreed as a cabinet.

It is a proposal which will honour the result of the referendum and the commitments we made in our general election manifesto to leave the single market and the customs union. It will mean that we take back control of our borders, our laws, and our money - ending the freedom of movement, ending the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the United Kingdom, and ending the days of sending vast sums of taxpayers' money to the European Union.

We will be able to spend that money on our priorities instead - such as the £20bn increase we have announced for the NHS budget, which means that we will soon be spending an extra £394m a week on our National Health Service.

As I outlined at Chequers, the agreement we reached requires the full, collective support of Her Majesty's Government.

During the EU referendum campaign, collective responsibility on EU policy was temporarily suspended. As we developed our policy on Brexit, I have allowed Cabinet colleagues considerable latitude to express their individual views.

But the agreement we reached on Friday marks the point where that is no longer the case and if you are not able to support we need to secure this deal in the interests of the UK then it is right that you should step down.

As you so do, I would like to place on record my appreciation of the service you have given to our country, and the Conservative Party, as Mayor of London and as Foreign Secretary - not least for the passion that you have demonstrated in promoting a Global Britain to the world as we leave the European Union.

Yours ever,

Theresa May