British Foreign Secretary William Hague has announced his surprise resignation on Monday night.
The move came ahead of the national election next May as part of British Prime Minister David Cameron's biggest ever reshuffle of top government jobs, Reuters reported.
Hague, Britain's most senior diplomat for the past four years and a former leader of Cameron's Conservative party, said he was standing down with immediate effect to take up a more junior ministerial post.
Citing government sources, local media tipped Philip Hammond, the current defence secretary, as Hague's successor.
If confirmed, that would send a powerful signal to Britain's European allies as Hammond has said he would rather leave the European Union if Cameron can't get better membership terms.
The British leader has promised to try to reshape Britain's EU ties if re-elected next year before giving voters an EU membership referendum, something opinion polls show could be a close contest. Cameron heaped lavish praise on Hague who is thought to have taken the decision to resign himself. Hague said he would also be stepping down as a member of Britain's parliament next May after 26 years.
