What’s going on in the Foreign Office? Second minister resigns in space of a week

Mark Simmonds, the Conservative MP for Boston and Skegness, and announced his resignation as a Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Minister, citing his decision not to stand for election next year.

However, following Baroness Warsi’s high profile departure last Tuesday, this makes for two ministerial resignations from the same department in less than a week. It is also unclear why Simmonds decided to resign less than a month after a reshuffle took place? If he was considering his place in Parliament, then surely it would have made more sense to discuss his future with Cameron before a major reshuffle took place?

The surprising replacement of William Hague at the FCO with Philip Hammond was one of the most high-profile moves of the Tories’ Cabinet reshuffle, with some concerns raised privately that the former Defence Secretary would struggle in his role – it was certainly noted that Warsi praised Hague but not Hammond in her resignation letter. While Simmonds’ letter praises Cameron, he also makes no mention of the new Foreign Secretary.

With a majority of over 12,000, it’s unlikely that Simmonds has jumped before being given the push by his constituents, and with 14 years as an MP at the age of 50, he may simply be looking for other challenges. But this doesn’t explain his decision to leave his ministerial role.

We’re left to wonder just what the hell is going on at the Foreign Office?