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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Michael Gove apologises over row with Theresa May | Michael Gove apologises over row with Theresa May |
| (39 minutes later) | |
| Education Secretary Michael Gove has apologised to David Cameron over a row with Home Secretary Theresa May, whose special adviser Fiona Cunningham has resigned, Downing Street has said. | Education Secretary Michael Gove has apologised to David Cameron over a row with Home Secretary Theresa May, whose special adviser Fiona Cunningham has resigned, Downing Street has said. |
| The two had clashed over ways to tackle extremism after reports of a hardline Muslim plot in some Birmingham schools. | The two had clashed over ways to tackle extremism after reports of a hardline Muslim plot in some Birmingham schools. |
| The prime minister vowed to "sort out" the row and asked Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood to investigate. | The prime minister vowed to "sort out" the row and asked Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood to investigate. |
| Mr Gove will face questions from MPs over the alleged plot on Monday. | Mr Gove will face questions from MPs over the alleged plot on Monday. |
| He has also apologised to Home Office counter terror chief Charles Farr. | He has also apologised to Home Office counter terror chief Charles Farr. |
| Education watchdog Ofsted is inspecting 21 schools in Birmingham as a result of the allegations of a plot. | Education watchdog Ofsted is inspecting 21 schools in Birmingham as a result of the allegations of a plot. |
| Quotes attributed to a Department for Education source in the Times had been critical of Mr Farr, the Home Office's director general for security and counter-terrorism. | Quotes attributed to a Department for Education source in the Times had been critical of Mr Farr, the Home Office's director general for security and counter-terrorism. |
| The dispute emerged when those close to Mr Gove briefed the Times newspaper about his frustrations that the Home Office was being too soft on extremism. | The dispute emerged when those close to Mr Gove briefed the Times newspaper about his frustrations that the Home Office was being too soft on extremism. |
| In response, the home secretary released a letter she had written to Mr Gove, accusing his department of failing to act when concerns about the Birmingham schools were brought to its attention in 2010. | In response, the home secretary released a letter she had written to Mr Gove, accusing his department of failing to act when concerns about the Birmingham schools were brought to its attention in 2010. |
| Downing Street said Ms Cunningham's resignation was related to further comments then made to The Times. | Downing Street said Ms Cunningham's resignation was related to further comments then made to The Times. |
| A Home Office source had told the newspaper: "Why is the DfE wanting to blame other people for information they had in 2010? | A Home Office source had told the newspaper: "Why is the DfE wanting to blame other people for information they had in 2010? |
| "Lord knows what more they have overlooked on the subject of the protection of kids in state schools? It scares me." | "Lord knows what more they have overlooked on the subject of the protection of kids in state schools? It scares me." |
| 'Unauthorised comments' | 'Unauthorised comments' |
| The shadow schools minister, Kevin Brennan, said Mr Gove and Mrs May had both breached the ministerial code as a result of the briefings to the Times. | The shadow schools minister, Kevin Brennan, said Mr Gove and Mrs May had both breached the ministerial code as a result of the briefings to the Times. |
| He told the BBC: "Really, neither of them should remain in post". | He told the BBC: "Really, neither of them should remain in post". |
| According to the ministerial code, ministers "should be able to express their views frankly in the expectation that they can argue freely in private while maintaining a united front when decisions have been reached." | According to the ministerial code, ministers "should be able to express their views frankly in the expectation that they can argue freely in private while maintaining a united front when decisions have been reached." |
| It adds: "This in turn requires that the privacy of opinions expressed in cabinet and ministerial committees, including in correspondence, should be maintained." | It adds: "This in turn requires that the privacy of opinions expressed in cabinet and ministerial committees, including in correspondence, should be maintained." |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Chris Mason, Political Correspondent | By Chris Mason, Political Correspondent |
| Two of the government's most senior Conservative ministers are wounded. | |
| The home secretary has lost a close and trusted adviser in Fiona Cunningham; the education secretary will face the humiliation tomorrow of appearing before MPs in the Commons after publicly apologising not just to the prime minister, but also to a senior Home Office civil servant he'd criticised. | |
| The row between Michael Gove and Theresa May, which had burst into the open in The Times on the morning of the Queen's Speech, angered the prime minister. | |
| He will hope his swift response will draw a line under this damaging outbreak of indiscipline at the top of the government. | |
| Announcing the latest developments, a Downing Street spokesman said Sir Jeremy's report into "unauthorised comments to the media about the government's approach to tackling extremism and the improper release of correspondence between ministers" had been given to Mr Cameron. | Announcing the latest developments, a Downing Street spokesman said Sir Jeremy's report into "unauthorised comments to the media about the government's approach to tackling extremism and the improper release of correspondence between ministers" had been given to Mr Cameron. |
| The spokesman said: "In acknowledgement of his role, today, the secretary of state for education has written separately to Charles Farr and the prime minister apologising for the original comments made to the Times newspaper. | The spokesman said: "In acknowledgement of his role, today, the secretary of state for education has written separately to Charles Farr and the prime minister apologising for the original comments made to the Times newspaper. |
| "In addition, in relation to further comments to the Times, Fiona Cunningham has today resigned." | "In addition, in relation to further comments to the Times, Fiona Cunningham has today resigned." |
| Mr Cameron is "deeply concerned" by the extremism allegations and is taking a "specific interest" in making sure it is dealt with, the Downing Street spokesman added. | Mr Cameron is "deeply concerned" by the extremism allegations and is taking a "specific interest" in making sure it is dealt with, the Downing Street spokesman added. |
| Writing on Twitter, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the apology and resignation "miss the point", which she said was the "failure to investigate schools" and to work with communities on extremism matters. | Writing on Twitter, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the apology and resignation "miss the point", which she said was the "failure to investigate schools" and to work with communities on extremism matters. |
| BBC political editor Nick Robinson tweeted that friends of Mrs May believed she had been made to pay a higher price in the row, adding Mr Gove's allies said making an apology ahead of an appearance before MPs was "not as easy for him as might seem". | BBC political editor Nick Robinson tweeted that friends of Mrs May believed she had been made to pay a higher price in the row, adding Mr Gove's allies said making an apology ahead of an appearance before MPs was "not as easy for him as might seem". |
| Writing for the Sunday Telegraph, columnist Matthew d'Ancona said the episode was "extraordinary for all sorts of reasons, not least because it involves blue-on-blue conflict" - a reference to the rarity of a public clash between ministers of the same party. | Writing for the Sunday Telegraph, columnist Matthew d'Ancona said the episode was "extraordinary for all sorts of reasons, not least because it involves blue-on-blue conflict" - a reference to the rarity of a public clash between ministers of the same party. |