PRITI Patel has confirmed her plan to resign as Home Secretary and return to the backbenches in a tweet.

“I congratulate Liz Truss on being elected our new leader, and will give her my support as our new prime minister,” her letter to Boris Johnson said.

“It is my choice to continue my public service to the country and the Witham constituency from the backbenches, once Liz formally assumes office and a new home secretary is appointed.”

It came after Patel faced accusations of overseeing a rise in gun and knife crime as she defended her record in the job.

As the Commons returned from the summer recess on Monday, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper claimed “successive Conservative home secretaries” are responsible for a “serious problem” with violent crime.

Patel faced questions about crime rates after several high-profile violent incidents over the summer, including the deaths of nine-year old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in Liverpool and pensioner Thomas O’Halloran, 87, in London.

The home secretary said she was “proud” of her time at the Home Office, which has seen “some of the biggest reforms on security, migration and public safety”.

As Home Office questions began, she had said: “Before I answer today’s questions and start questions, if I may, I’d briefly like to remark on the last three years of Boris Johnson’s prime ministership under which I’ve served as home secretary.

“This morning, a written ministerial statement was tabled in my name outlining the work of the Home Office, this department over the last three years on our manifesto commitment and with that, of course, some of the biggest reforms on security, migration and public safety which the Speaker’s just spoken about.

“I’m proud to serve in this government and I’d like to thank the Prime Minister, Home Office ministers past and present and a wide range of officials.”