LONDON - Sir Kim Darroch has resigned as the UK's ambassador to the US after Donald Trump vowed to no longer deal with him over bombshell comments he made in leaked diplomatic memos. 

 

Sir Kim said he wanted to 'put an end' to the speculation over his future after his heavily critical comments about the Trump administration sparked an all-out diplomatic war between the US and Britain.  

 

The leaked documents revealed that Sir Kim had called Mr Trump 'inept' and his administration 'uniquely dysfunctional'. 

 

They prompted the US President to launch an unprecedented attack on Sir Kim and Theresa May as he called the former a 'pompous fool' and the latter a 'disaster'. 

 

Announcing his decision to quit in a letter to Sir Simon McDonald, Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign Office, Sir Kim said the current furore over his role made it 'impossible' for him to do his job. 

 

He 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.

 

'I am grateful to all those in the UK and the US, who have offered their support during this difficult few days. This has brought home to me the depth of friendship and close ties between our two countries. I have been deeply touched.

 

'I am also grateful to all those with whom I have worked over the last four decades, particularly my team here in the US. The professionalism and integrity of the British civil service is the envy of the world. I will leave it full of confidence that its values remain in safe hands.'

 

Mrs May said at prime minister's questions in the House of Commons this lunchtime that Sir Kim's resignation was a 'matter of great regret'. 

 

She said: 'Sir Kim has given a lifetime of service to teh UK and we owe him an enormous debt of gratitude.'

 

It came after Boris Johnson refused to guarantee that he would keep Sir Kim in post if he replaces Mrs May, after Mr Trump said he would no longer deal with Britain's man in Washington.

 

In contrast Jeremy Hunt leapt to the defence of the experienced diplomat, who found himself blacklisted by the White House after branding the president 'inept'. (FA)