General area of rain will push itself eastwards over night. I cannot guarantee all gardens will get rain, in the southern areas it should stay dry again tonight. Quite a murky night elsewhere. A muggy start to tomorrow. Low pressure is sitting right on top of the uk and it is an area of the air lifting and rising and it promotes the formation of showers. There could be early doors at wimbledon, but overall an early dry day here. Showers fading away. Sunny spells developing and a few showers in england and wales. A brighter and drier day for Northern Ireland. But it is in north and east of scotla nd ireland. But it is in north and east of scotland where we could see severe thunderstorms. Temperature is very similar to today. As we go through into friday, we switch the winds to a more north westerly direction, so it will not feel quite as humid. Many Western Areas will stay dry. In eastern counties of scotla nd stay dry. In eastern counties of scotland and england we will see heavy showers develop in the afternoon. Still pleasant with the sunshine. In between down the spine of scotla nd sunshine. In between down the spine of scotland and england we will see a few showers through the day on saturday. Mainly like showers and sunshine on either side of those. As we go into sunday it is fewer showers and more in the way of sunshine. A reminder of our main story this lunchtime britains ambassador to washington resigns after the leak of his confidential memos criticising the trump administration. Conservative leadership front runner Boris Johnson who has repeatedly refused to say whether he would keep sir kim in post if he became Prime Minister hasjust given his reaction to the news. I have just heard that kim darroch resigned and i want to say that i regret that, really, because i think he was a superb. Is a superb diplomat and i worked with him for many years and i think that whoever leaked his diptels, really, has done a grave disservice to our Civil Servants, to people who give impartial advice to ministers. Thats all from the bbc news at one so its goodbye from me and on bbc one we nowjoin the bbcs news teams where you are. You Sir Kim Darroch has been saying in the last few minutes that this is the first time in his career for the head of state has dismissed working British Ambassador. This is sir Simon Mcdonnell telling the foreign affa i rs Simon Mcdonnell telling the Foreign Affairs committee that even hostile states had not taken such action and is 37 years in the department. Lets listen in. As mr hobart said, there are different ways we do that on different systems. Its about keeping information within the environment of the people who have access to that system at the appropriate classification levels. You can forward information to people within systems who need to see it. Various procedures then come into play. So when anybody signs up to use the system they have to sign a security operating procedure and they contain information about how to use things within that system such as only forwarding things to people. It involves training to use the official system multi user secret system or a top secret system. All of them involve different training levels and they have more constraints over what you can and cant send until you can send it to. So you are generally not allowed to have any mobile devices in those areas. And printing . I dont want to go into the details of the security of our systems put the constraints on the user or greater. So generally you are not allowed to ta ke so generally you are not allowed to take your telephone in but you could. You would be explicitly breaking rules and regulations and it is monitored. Anyone thats leaking the rules or breaking the rules weve established that but it is monitored so you can take your telephone in. There are different ways we monitor that depending on the risk. We dont want to go into the risk. We dont want to go into the leak itself because you have launched the enquiry but what classification did this message have . Thats part of the enquiry. All of this will be part of the report but this will come out later. A hypothetical question, what damage wooded to to every Foreign Mission across the world if the leak enquiry was to conclude it was politically motivated . I assume in those circumstances that we would have com plete circumstances that we would have complete story and that the complete story would give us or indicated what we needed to do next in order to prevent repetition. What systems and checks and balances are in place at the Foreign Office with an ambassadorial appointment of such importance if that next appointment was a political pointy a pointy . We have one political appointee in the network who is lord llywelyn the ambassador at paris and as a British Ambassador at paris and as a British Ambassador he is treated as part of the fco organisation. He is treated and know different way. Which includes going through vetting procedures to see classified information. So a political appointee would have to go through the same rigorous checks . To get access to classified information, yes. But not to be appointed. A political appointee by definition is made by the Prime Minister and he or she will name the person but to do the job and have access to the information that is on the subject to security procedures but that happens after the nomination. The nomination was made and an individual didnt pass those procedures, do they stay in post or are they barred from being in that position . To my knowledge that has not happened. If it were to happen i foresee a difficult conversation for myself. Some newspapers have suggested there is more to come. I dont know whether they mean more to come in relation to the United States of america or other places because of information has been leaked in other places in recent years. Ijust wonder whether you expect that and what you are doing to make sure we are protected against that. I have seen the same press reports and its entirely speculative as to what it means. I am just bracing myself. So you fear they may be more. I fear they may be more. In relation to the United States of america or elsewhere . dont know. This committee has been to see lord llywelyn and we were impressed by the way he was performing his duties. They obviously have a place but they are relatively rare in the british syste m relatively rare in the british system but they are entirely common in the american system. Is there a clash here . Different countries do this in different ways. I was ambassador to israel and the law allows up to 11 political appointees at any one time. The United States is between one third and one half at any one time in the uk has generally been zero, one or two. But its something that is familiar for many decades. But its tended to be high commissioners, hasnt it . Latterly the high commissioner to australia has been a politician on two occasions or three occasions in the la st occasions or three occasions in the last 20 years. South africa as well. But also to the United Nations in new york. Lord richard was a political appointee. Can i just ask some quite specific questions. Do you believe your diplomatic staff are fiow you believe your diplomatic staff are now confident that they communications are secure . are now confident that they communications are secure . I think they understand there is a human risk and therefore the importance of controlling distribution lists and that was a message which someone reinforced again on monday. And also not pressing the forward button and one of our roses if you want to press the forward button you chat with the person who sent it as well. I think people understand the systems reasonably well and know what risks there are. This has been an exceptional week. what risks there are. This has been an exceptional week. I hear what you are saying about informing staff and getting teams together but what immediate actions are you planning to take to ensure the confidence of staff overseas . The investigation is a very important part of reassurance and thatis important part of reassurance and that is going to be taken as seriously as it can be taken. The new system called rosa has already been ruled out and its critically important to what happens next. Looking at the leaks themselves, it doesnt strike me as being a Chelsea Manning style data breach because they are a mixture of things and it looks more likely that somebody has got hold of some e mails rather than a large numberof got hold of some e mails rather than a large number of information. note your view and forgive me for note your view and forgive me for not commenting on it. Have you had any medications with the us embassy about this . I have had a member with the us, yes. It was a diplomatic encounter. It was a Frank Exchange of views. I would like to come out of views. I would like to come out of the enquiry itself. Id like to ask some basic factual questions if i may around who will be conducting the enquiry, what are the terms of reference for the enquiry as well and in particular who will they be reporting to. They remind you are head of the Foreign Office but also theres going to be a bit of transition over the next few weeks as well with a change in Prime Minister. Are you anticipating the formal end result to be published fully or are you going to wait and see what the actual enquiry surfaces before what you think what will be published . These are all good questions but i am going to look to mr hobart to say what we can say at the moment. The enquiry will report to the cabinet secretary. I cant comment on the terms of reference and in terms of a reporter it depends where the enquiry goes. Are you able to even allude to indicate in terms of people that will be involved. We will leave those hearings now. That was sue Simon Mcdonald and other Foreign Office officials talking to the Foreign Affairs committee. The head of the Diplomatic Service saying Donald Trumps refusal to work with the British Ambassador in washington Sir Kim Darroch was the first time in his careerfor a head of state had said he would not work with a British Ambassador. The news about Sir Kim Darrochs resignation came as theresa may stood up for Prime Ministers questions. Lets talk to oui ministers questions. Lets talk to our assistant Political Editor norman smith was watching. Attention was not in the chamber because of that announcement that Sir Kim Darroch was resigning because it came minutes before mrs may got to herfeet came minutes before mrs may got to her feet number of mps came at the interview and there are repercussions for team johnson with a lot of people pointing the finger of blame directly at borisjohnson and his refusal to back Sir Kim Darroch in last nights itv debate. Lets talk over some of that with labours andy mcdonald. How do you read the decision by Sir Kim Darroch to stand down . I think hes done the right thing. He has made an honourable decision but the concern is that you have the president of the us dictating who our ambassador is in america. That is totally and utterly unacceptable and it drives a coach and horses through the protocols of conventions of a Prime Minister being able to appoint an ambassador who can communicate freely and openly and honestly with professionalism, which he has done. I think hes been treated shabbily in this and at least jeremy hunt i think hes been treated shabbily in this and at leastjeremy hunt had the courage to say he would stand by his ambassador. Let me put it to you, Sir Kim Darroch was basically run out of town because of the diplomatic doors were closed to him by donald trump. What does that say about the state of us and uk relations . It says they are badly damaged and whats most striking is how little support Sir Kim Darroch seemed to get on the dignity by which he has conducted himself stands in stark contrast to Boris Johnson who not even tracked him la st johnson who not even tracked him last night. What really worries me is we are now in a situation where borisjohnson is only is we are now in a situation where Boris Johnson is only listening is we are now in a situation where borisjohnson is only listening to people he agrees with. Civil servants and ambassadors need to be candid, they need to be honest and say things that all of us might not like every now and again and that has been damaged by this whole affair and that damage damages everyone in the uk. You backed rory stewart in the first round of this contest but let me put it to you that the jeremy hunt team contest but let me put it to you that thejeremy hunt team is using this and accusing borisjohnson of throwing Sir Kim Darroch end the bus. Isnt it just throwing Sir Kim Darroch end the bus. Isnt itjust a hard truth that Sir Kim Darroch has recognised he can no longer do hisjob and is chosen to stand down rather than he has decided that somehow Boris Johnson has made his position untenable. I dont know what was going through his mind when he made the decision. The person who leaked this is the person we need to not lose focus on because somebody has maliciously leaked this information to create an issue probably knowing that donald trump would have an emotional reaction to it and you can almost play out what would happen. Lets not forget the Prime Minister and all of the cabinet and foreign secretary have all backed Sir Kim Darroch as they should and it is a very precious relationship and one that whoever the next Prime Minister is absolutely has to make sure they have their own person and it somebody they trust but the league is critical because we dont yet know how many people have access to this information. If you cannot trust that number of people it is extremely serious because they are always going to have candid information that you would deliberately not want to share. Ambassadors across the world now will be worried about what they can say and that is the damage that is more widespread than this particular incident. We rely on our Civil Service to do a good job and inform politicians so this worries me. How functioning a Boris Johnson government would be and how fit he is for office. This shows he is unfit for office. Let me put this thought to you. Sir kim darroch is not the only senior Civil Servant to have come a cropper in these days of brexit. We saw ollie robins in effect hounded out of the job. Weve seen the cabinet secretary clinging on with the prospect of Gavin Williamson being brought in. How far have senior Civil Servants become political punch bags. So far because it shouldnt happen at all. Civil servants, we are all being tagged as leavers or remain as but people who use that tag other people have a more extreme brexit position and they want to discount what anybody says. We have to stamp it out across out says. We have to stamp it out across our whole country. If you, if everything you say is now being tarred by how you voted three years ago and is affecting yourjudgment its a lazy tag and its a tag that has been used by people and it shouldnt. What kind of person shouldnt. What kind of person should replace Sir Kim Darroch . An official who will tell truth to power. That is as much as you can ask from you Civil Service. The wheels have come off the bodice bus. The brexit project is failing and its disappointing that you have tory politicians were blaming Civil Servants and making them scapegoats because they did not plan and their plans are costing people jobs. I would say to people like Boris Johnson it is your fault. Given that after Brexit Relations with america are going to be critical in terms of oui are going to be critical in terms of our future economy, may be just makes sense to bite the bullet and put someone in who can get on with the president on the same wavelength. Just to put in who is going to be chumming with the president of the us wont do it. We have to have a trained professional diplomat. This is a huge mission, it spreads across america, there is a lot more to it than being a pal of donald trump and we have to tread carefully. It may well be that theresa may will appoint his replacement and i would be curious to see what Boris Johnson would do in those circumstances. Fascinating thoughts. Maybe this will be theresa mays parting gift to borisjohnson if she were to appoint the next ambassador to the United States. I think downing street have said a new ambassador will be appointed in due course. Lets explore that thought further now with sir christopher may have the former British Ambassador to the United States. Suggestion there that Sir Kim Darroch had been run out of town by donald trump. Is that how you see it . I wouldnt use that how you see it . I wouldnt use that phrase exactly but its right. He must have concluded, Sir Kim Darroch, that his job was impossible to do if he was confronted with the hostility of the president personally. It must have meant that he would not have access to the white house and there are a lot of very important officials who work there and maybe he would have found that those close to the National Security council. Given those circumstances he decided the better path to take was to resign. I am really sorry and extremely angry that a good man has been brought down by a terrible leak of highly classified documents and by a president as vindictive and spiteful as Sir Kim Darroch said he was in the classified communications. Are you also angry with borisjohnson who didnt give unequivocal support in the tv debate last night . My view is that the last thing the british and American Relations need at the moment and Sir Kim Darroch needs is to have the template of the tory leadership commonplace stack on the situation in which he found himself so im making no comment on that whatsoever. Who do you think should replace Sir Kim Darroch as britains ambassador to washington . They could they have been suggestions it could be nigel farage. As a former career diplomat i would hope to see another professional diplomat replace Sir Kim Darroch. And not a political appointee. But one has to see say there are precedents in the history of british and american diplomatic relations since 1945 for Us Diplomatic relations since 1945 for us to appoint a political appointee to washington. On the labour side for example peterj on the tory side lord hollick. So they do exist. But i would very much hope a career professional is put in the job after Sir Kim Darroch leaves washington. Theres also the question of whether its to meet theresa may who appoint the successor whether she leaves it to borisjohnson. I dont know how long it takes to go through the process. Would theresa may want to make a point and appoint somebody herself . You have to get inside the brain of theresa may to answer that. From the outside it doesnt make much sense to appoint a new ambassador who is intending to stay in washington for at least four yea rs before in washington for at least four years before the new british leadership comes into power. I would hope that common sense will prevail and it will be left to the next british administration. Does all of this points to a new imbalance in the so called special relationship . That it is in effect america which cause all the shots. There is not a new imbalance. If you want to find a true piece of imbalance you have to go back to 1956 and of the suez crisis when effectively the United States stopped us in alliance with israel and france from invading the suez canal and taking over egypt. That was a time when the us flexed its muscles and we had to realise we we re its muscles and we had to realise we were thejunior its muscles and we had to realise we were the junior partner. Nothing its muscles and we had to realise we were thejunior partner. Nothing has changed over the decades since then. By changed over the decades since then. By the way, its not donald trump as my gift to say who the British Ambassador should be. He can make life impossible for the British Ambassador if he wants to and he has just done that but we should take a measured decision on who should be the right person to represent not the right person to represent not the american interests but the british interests in the us and we have to recognise that the british interests does not always coincide with the american interests. Thank you forjoining us. We are going to look at the weather whilst there is a bit more sunshine around today when youve got the cloud there is the chance of one or two showers. This is where the rain has been falling over the last few hours. Showers into the west and across eastern Northern Ireland and one 01 across eastern Northern Ireland and one or two across eastern Northern Ireland and one 01 two across across eastern Northern Ireland and one or two across the north east of england. They will gradually depart. Much of england and we try with good long sunny spells. Showers return to Northern Ireland and they will get heavier. Temperature is 26 degrees in the south east corner. Some severe thunderstorm possible across the east of scotland. Later we could see some across the eastern Northern Ireland. The risk of some minor flooding as well. Outbreaks of rain tonight will be pushing eastward across many areas. Southern scotland and the far north of england could see a bit of welcome ring. Many southern coastal counties and much of south wales stays dry again. A big chart into thursday. Low pressure is sitting over the top of us pressure is sitting over the top of us but it doesnt mean theres going to be any prolonged spend lots of rain. It is going to be a showery day. The chance of a shower or two at wimbledon but condition is largely humid and dry. Through the day most places will be dry for a time but then the shower clouds will brew up. Parts of Northern Ireland and Northern England and parts of scotla nd and Northern England and parts of scotland and across parts of eastern scotla nd scotland and across parts of eastern scotland we could see severe thunderstorms by the end of the afternoon. Temperatures fairly similarto afternoon. Temperatures fairly similar to the afternoon. Temperatures fairly similarto the humid afternoon. Temperatures fairly similar to the humid conditions of the day. It turns fresh into friday. We start with sunshine in many areas but some shower clouds will brew up. This will be the focus for some of the heaviest ones on friday further west showers fewer in number. Temperatures down on what we have seen today and tomorrow but it will feel pleasant in the sunshine. Hastening start on saturday but cloud up and its down the spine of england we are likely to see showers through the day. He was showers and more sunshine around on sunday. Hello, youre watching afternoon live. Im simon mccoy. Today at 2 Sir Kim Darroch resigns as uk ambassador to the us, amidst the row over leaked emails critical of president trumps administration. Anger as fingers are pointed at tory leadership hopeful borisjohnson, whos accused of throwing sir kim under the bus for not publicly backing him