Alistair Burt announces resignation

Mr Burt made the announcement at the end of an oral health questions session in the Commons today.

He was made health minister following the 2015 general election, although he served in several ministerial posts under the 2010-15 coalition government, and in the Conservative government of the 1990s.

Mr Burt told the Commons that this was “not a sudden post-Brexit resignation”, but it would be his final oral questions session. He also said he will continue to serve as a minister until September, when a new prime minister would be in place and would appoint a new ministerial team.

Following his announcement he was praised as “witty and popular” by speaker John Bercow, while Labour MP Valerie Vaz said he had been a “fantastic minister”.

Earlier in the same session, Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs repeatedly called on the government to confirm that NHS staff from EU countries would be guaranteed the right to stay in the UK.

Mr Hunt acknowledged that the NHS would “fall over without the incredible work [EU nationals] do”.

Although he did not guarantee EU staff would have the right to stay, he said “we are confident in the negotiations ahead we will be able to secure the outcome they and we all want”.

Minister for quality Ben Gummer added that “one thing we all have a duty to do is to make sure we undo the damage done during the referendum campaign”, which he said had created a “poisonous atmosphere”. He said MPs should personally thank EU staff Britain for their work and dedication.