"I was forced to resign as Home Secretary" claims Hastings MP Amber Rudd

The Hastings MP Amber Rudd has claimed that she was forced to resign as Home Secretary because her staff let her down.

The senior Tory quit the Cabinet after she "inadvertently misled" the Home Affairs Select Committee over targets for the removal of illegal immigrants.

But a report into the row found officials repeatedly gave her wrong information and then failed to clear up the problem in time.

Ms Rudd said: "There are elements of this report which just show that, unfortunately, that area of the department did not have a grip on what was going on.

"I hope that there will be changes made as a result of this report so that people get a better service from Immigration Enforcement. There were a series of leaks during the past year at quite a high level that were definitely intended to embarrass me."

The report could clear the way for Theresa May to promote the Hastings and Rye MP back into the Cabinet - Ms Rudd said it was now "up to the Prime Minister" whether she returns to the front bench.

The report, written by Sir Alex Allan, the Prime Minister's independent adviser on ministerial standards, says "crossed wires" contributed to Ms Rudd's downfall.

She "was not supported as she should have been" by her officials before, during and after the committee appearance on April 25.