Lord Geidt warned PM he risked making a ‘mockery’ of ministerial code in resignation letter

Dominic Raab, the Deputy Prime Minister, suggested Lord Geidt’s “pretty rough grilling” by MPs on the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on Tuesday may have played a role in his resignation. 

Asked why Lord Geidt had quit, Mr Raab told Sky News: “Well, the stated reasons, of course he set out overnight, but were very limited. He just said he thought it was the right time to step down. Let me tell you what I know. 

“First of all he had been engaged with the Prime Minister in No 10 this week and discussing staying on for six months so I think my understanding had been he was committed to the role. 

“I think he had a pretty rough grilling by MPs this week. I think sometimes we in the media as politicians maybe underestimate how civil servants feel with that kind of scrutiny.

“And thirdly, there was a particular issue, a commercially sensitive matter in the national interest, which he was asked to look at. I don’t know which aspect of this, I suspect there will be, in fact I know there will be, an update from No 10 later.”