James Brokenshire leaves hospital after lung surgery

The former Northern Ireland secretary, James Brokenshire, has been discharged from hospital following lung surgery.

Brokenshire resigned from the government for health reasons earlier this month before Theresa May’s reshuffle when his post was filled by Karen Bradley. In his resignation letter to May he said he required an operation to remove a small lesion in his right lung.

On Saturday, the Conservative MP tweeted a picture of himself beside a hospital bed and praised the NHS staff who treated him:

His tweet was met with messages of support from senior colleagues including May’s chief of staff, Gavin Barwell, and the leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom.

Brokenshire’s resignation came a year after the Northern Ireland assembly collapsed following a scandal over a botched green heating subsidy scheme, a problem which he had been unable to resolve.

In his resignation letter released by No 10, he said the surgery would mean he could not give the “effort, energy and complete focus” needed at such an important time. He added: “My earnest wish for everyone in Northern Ireland is to see devolved government restored as quickly as possible.”

May wrote back: “While it is typical of you that your first thought was not for yourself, but for your duties as a cabinet minister and public servant, it is absolutely right that you should put your health first, for your sake and that of your family.”

On Tuesday, Brokenshire, 50, used Twitter to reveal he was due to have the surgery in upcoming days. He said 2018 has been a difficult year but he had been “strengthened” by his family and the “kind and humbling comments” from well-wishers.