Amber Rudd pens thinly-veiled assault on Theresa May's Brexit strategy... in a letter about Hastings Pier

Cabinet minister Amber Rudd has penned a letter about the continued closure of Hastings Pier which appears to be a thinly-veiled assault on Theresa May's Brexit strategy.

After the scheduled Brexit date of March 29 was delayed amid continued government chaos, Hastings and Rye MP Ms Rudd shared a letter to constituents packed with apparent Brexit analogies.

The work and pensions secretary said: "Like you, I am incredibly disappointed that Hastings Pier would not be open for the end of March as originally planned.

"I understand the extended closure comes as a result of fresh structural damage. Further repairs are now, as I understand, being conducted.

"Nonetheless, those assurances must be backed up with actions.

"I urge the owner of Hastings Pier to conduct these repairs as a priority so that the pier may open as soon as possible. Our town cannot keep experiencing delay after delay."

Ms Rudd, who was reappointed to the Cabinet by Mrs May in November, added: "There must also be much improved communication with the Hastings community from the owner."

HuffPost political editor Paul Waugh said Ms Rudd had "won Brexit subtweet of the year", while her Twitter followers lined up to congratulate the Remain-backing MP on her prose.

Natasha Michaels said: "Hilarious. Well done Amber." David Price went even further, saying: "You deserve a pierage for that Ms Rudd. Most amusing."

And Simon Jones responded with a subliminal Brexit message of his own, saying: "Perhaps you could ask the owner to consider agreeing to some kind of insurance so if the planned repairs are delayed past May then local residents will still be free to access part of the pier, say the northern end, until a more permanent solution is implemented."