Australia’s foreign minister resigns in power struggle with leader Gillard

Foreign minister Kevin Rudd announced his resignation during an early morning news conference yesterday in Washington, where he is on official business.

His decision comes amid relentless speculation that he planned to seize power from Ms Gillard.

Ms Gillard came to power in an internal coup within her Labour Party that ousted Mr Rudd as prime minister in June 2010. She became only the third prime minister since the Second World War to gain power in this way.

Mr Rudd said: “I can only serve as foreign minister if I have the confidence of prime minister Gillard and her senior ministers. I therefore believe the only honourable thing, and the only honourable course of action, is for me to resign.”

In recent days, speculation had been mounting that Mr Rudd’s supporters were planning an attempt to restore him to power soon. That had become a distraction, Mr Rudd said.

“The truth is the Australian people regard this whole affair as little better than a soap opera and they are right,” he said. “And under current circumstances, I won’t be part of it.”

It was not immediately clear what Mr Rudd’s next move would be.