Donald Trump has lashed out at Theresa May’s handling of Brexit, saying she has created a “mess” and made clear the US administration would “no longer deal” with Sir Kim Darroch, the UK ambassador, at the centre of the leaked emails row.

Relations between London and Washington have become strained after the emails revealed that Britain’s top diplomat in America branded the White House “inept” and “dysfunctional”.

In the Commons, a senior Conservative MP called on Scotland Yard to investigate the leak.

While the US President had previously praised Mrs May’s handling of the difficult Brexit process, saying only last month that she had done a “very good job”, the diplomatic row appears to have made him change his tune.

READ MORE: Scotland Yard called in to probe 'despicable leak' of ambassador's emails

He tweeted: “I have been very critical about the way the UK and Prime Minister Theresa May handled Brexit.

“What a mess she and her representatives have created.

“I told her how it should be done, but she decided to go another way. “I do not know the ambassador but he is not liked or well thought of within the US We will no longer deal with him.

“The good news for the wonderful United Kingdom is that they will soon have a new Prime Minister.

“While I thoroughly enjoyed the magnificent State Visit last month, it was the Queen who I was most impressed with!” he added.

 

During an Urgent Question in the Commons, Conservative backbencher Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee, told MPs he had written to Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, to “ask that a criminal investigation also be opened into the leak”.

A Cabinet Office probe has already been launched.

The Kent MP said: “I fear that we are developing a culture of leaks and that will be extremely detrimental to the UK because leaks damage our reputation, have an impact on our ability to function effectively and undermine our relationships with our allies.”

READ MORE: Theresa May express 'full faith' in Sir Kim Darroch

He told MPs: “Whichever parts of the Government can help to look into the source of this leak, including the security services, should be asked to assist with the matter urgently, and that any actions short of these steps will send out a dangerous message that the UK is reckless with information and cavalier with the trust placed in it?”

Sir Alan Duncan, the Foreign Office Minister, said he shared his colleague’s concern about “this unacceptable leak” and sought to reassure him that the Government was treating it with the “seriousness it deserves”.

Insisting the investigation would be “comprehensive”, he added: “If evidence of criminality is found, then yes, the police could be involved. “The most important focus is to establish who is responsible for this despicable leak.”

READ MORE: Johnson and Hunt camps trade accusations of 'betrayal'

Emily Thornberry for Labour insisted that Sir Kim had been “betrayed”.

She told MPs: “He has been hung out to dry even though his only crime was to tell the truth. He told the truth about Donald Trump and that was because it was his job.”

Earlier, Downing Street made clear Mrs May continued to have “full faith” in Sir Kim and stressed: “Our ambassadors provide honest, unvarnished assessments of politics in their country.

“Those views are not necessarily the views of ministers or indeed the Government.”