Suella Braverman’s resignation letter was a “hand grenade thrown into No 10”, a senior Tory MP has said. 

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the treasurer of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs, said the scathing letter suggested the former home secretary was “feeling very bruised” after her sacking by Rishi Sunak.

He told Times Radio: “It’s a hand grenade thrown into No 10. It’s one sided. It’s from somebody who is feeling very bruised, having been sacked by Rishi. It doesn’t give Rishi’s side of the argument and it doesn’t acknowledge some of the achievements already in the immigration field. 

“So I think that although it will alarm some on the Right, I think it does have to be taken in that context”.

Mrs Braverman’s letter sent shockwaves through Westminster as she accused the Prime Minister of “a betrayal” of his promise to stop the boats. 

She also claimed Mr Sunak’s wider plan for the country “is not working”, his attempts at resetting his premiership had “failed” and the Tories were “running out of time” as she urged an urgent change of course. 

Downing Street dismissed the three-page letter publicly saying in a statement that the PM “believes in actions not words”.

You can follow the latest updates below and join the conversation in the comments section here.