...STURGEON’S REPLY

What a hypocrite demeans politics.’ Mr Hunt wrote: ‘Delivering Brexit was always going to be a huge task, but one she met every day with courage and resolve.’

The Foreign Secretary has run a ‘stop Boris’ leadership campaign for weeks. And on Thursday he told the PM he could no longer support her Withdrawal Agreement. Liz Truss, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury – who has also been running a leadership campaign – called the PM’s exit ‘very dignified’.

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, who has also said he will stand, said: ‘She remains a dedicated public servant, patriot and loyal Conservative.’

Mrs Leadsom tweeted: ‘She did her utmost, and I wish her all the very best.’ Tory backbencher Mark Francois said he felt sympathy for Mrs May days after he made a muchcriticised throat- slitting gesture during Prime Minister’s Questions. Yesterday he said: ‘Unfortunately, the Dancing Queen has met her Waterloo.’

Jacob Rees- Mogg, who orchestrated last year’s noconfidence vote in the PM, said: ‘An unquestionably dutiful person left with dignity and the Conservatives must now get on and deliver Brexit.’