Andrew Mitchell sensationally quit as David Cameron’s chief whip last night – exactly a month after launching a foul-mouthed tirade at police officers in Downing Street.
Mr Mitchell travelled to Chequers at 4pm yesterday to tell the Prime Minister he had lost the confidence of Tory MPs and was resigning immediately after just six weeks in the job.
The move came after senior ministers, including Theresa May, Iain Duncan Smith and Mr Mitchell’s own deputy John Randall told him his position was untenable.
His departure caps another dismal week for the Government, in which good news on unemployment was overshadowed by a shambolic announcement on energy bills and revelations last night that the Chancellor George Osborne had been caught travelling in a first class rail carriage with a standard ticket.