Priti Patel announces resignation from Cabinet over secret Israel meetings - as it happened

All the updates as they happened

Welcome to The Independent’s live blog. Priti Patel has resigned as the International Development Secretary over undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials. Read below for all the updates from the day as they happened.

Theresa May has forced International Development Secretary Priti Patel to quit after she held a series of meetings with top Israeli politicians without telling the Prime Minister.

It ends days of speculation about the cabinet minister's position after she broke protocol to meet politicians, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, without informing Downing Street.

Ms Patel arrived at Number 10 for an hour-long face-to-face meeting with the Prime Minister just after 6pm on Wednesday, having been ordered back to the country from Africa.

Earlier in the week, it had appeared she might avoid being pushed out after disclosing details of the meetings and apologising to Ms May. But it later emerged that she did not disclose all of the meetings that she had, angering Number 10.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Ms Patel said: “I accept that in meeting with organisations and politicians during a private holiday in Israel my actions fell below the high standards that are expected of a secretary of state.

“While my actions were meant with the best of intentions, my actions also fell below the standards of transparency and openness that I have promoted and advocated.

“I offer a fulsome apology to you and to the Government for what has happened and offer my resignation.”

In response the Prime Minister reminded Ms Patel that cooperation between Israel and the UK had to take place “formally, and through official channels”.