UK MINISTER PRITI PATEL RESIGNS OVER ISRAEL TRIP

UNTENABLE CONDUCT

Britain's senior-most Indian-origin minister Priti Patel has resigned from her Cabinet post over her unauthorised secret meetings with Israeli politicians while on a holiday in the Jewish country.

Patel's position as international development minister had become increasingly untenable after it emerged that she had two further meetings with Israeli officials that were not disclosed through the proper procedure.

The 45-year-old minister resigned late on Wednesday night after a meeting at Downing Street with Prime Minister Theresa May.

In her resignation, Patel again apologised and said her actions "fell below the standards of transparency and openness that I have promoted and advocated".

Penny Mordaunt replaced Patel as the UK's new international development minister.

Patel’s departure from the Cabinet marks an abrupt halt to the meteoric rise of the Gujarati-origin MP, often touted as a potential future leader of the Conservative party and a prime ministerial candidate.

She was elected as a Conservative MP for Witham in Essex in 2010 and gained prominence in the then David Cameron-led Tory government as his 'Indian Diaspora Champion'.

She went on to be appointed to junior ministerial posts, treasury minister in 2014 and then employment minister after the 2015 general election, before May promoted her to secretary of state in the department for international development (DfID) last year.

A longstanding Eurosceptic, Patel is among the most vocal supporters of Brexit and had steered the 'Vote Leave' campaign in the lead up to the June 2016 referendum in favour of Britain's exit from the EU.