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30 March 2011
Last updated at 17:27 ET
Libya's foreign minister Moussa Koussa, one of Col Gaddafi's closest aides, has arrived in London and told officials he is quitting, the Foreign Office says.
It said Mr Koussa had indicated he was no longer willing to represent the Libyan leader's regime internationally.
But a Libyan government spokesman has insisted Mr Koussa was travelling abroad on a diplomatic mission.
It comes as the UK takes steps to expel five Libyan diplomats.
Foreign Secretary William Hague told MPs the five, who include the military attache, "could pose a threat" to UK security.
The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the minister had flown into Farnborough airport, in Hampshire, on Wednesday afternoon and had been debriefed, most likely by intelligence officials.
He said the fact he had flown into Farnborough was significant as he had clearly not been on a commercial flight.
"What is not clear is whether he has arrived simply to escape, or to play a wider role in any opposition to Col Gaddafi," he said.
"Clearly his defection, if that's what it becomes, will be used to urge others to follow suit and claim the regime is losing support."
Mr Koussa has not met with Prime Minister David Cameron or Foreign Secretary William Hague yet, but he is known to have been a point of contact for Mr Hague in recent weeks.
In a statement the Foreign Office said: "We can confirm that Moussa Koussa arrived at Farnborough Airport on 30 March from Tunisia.
"He travelled here under his own free will. He has told us he is resigning his post.
"Koussa is one of the most senior figures in Gaddafi's government and his role was to represent the regime internationally - something that he is no longer willing to do."
The development comes as rebels fighting Libyan government forces are continuing to lose ground and are retreating from their former strongholds along the eastern coast of Libya.
Earlier, Prime Minister David Cameron said the UK was not ruling out providing arms to rebels in "certain circumstances" but no decision had been taken.
The UK has been involved in more than 160 aerial missions, as well as missile strikes, over Libya since coalition operations began on 19 March following a UN resolution.
The coalition military action is aimed at enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya and protecting civilians from attacks by forces loyal to its leader Col Muammar Gaddafi. It has denied air strikes are meant to provide cover for a rebel advance.
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It said Mr Koussa had indicated he was no longer willing to represent the Libyan leader's regime internationally.
But a Libyan government spokesman has insisted Mr Koussa was travelling abroad on a diplomatic mission.
It comes as the UK takes steps to expel five Libyan diplomats.
Foreign Secretary William Hague told MPs the five, who include the military attache, "could pose a threat" to UK security.
The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the minister had flown into Farnborough airport, in Hampshire, on Wednesday afternoon and had been debriefed, most likely by intelligence officials.
He said the fact he had flown into Farnborough was significant as he had clearly not been on a commercial flight.
"What is not clear is whether he has arrived simply to escape, or to play a wider role in any opposition to Col Gaddafi," he said.
"Clearly his defection, if that's what it becomes, will be used to urge others to follow suit and claim the regime is losing support."
Mr Koussa has not met with Prime Minister David Cameron or Foreign Secretary William Hague yet, but he is known to have been a point of contact for Mr Hague in recent weeks.
In a statement the Foreign Office said: "We can confirm that Moussa Koussa arrived at Farnborough Airport on 30 March from Tunisia.
"He travelled here under his own free will. He has told us he is resigning his post.
"Koussa is one of the most senior figures in Gaddafi's government and his role was to represent the regime internationally - something that he is no longer willing to do."
The development comes as rebels fighting Libyan government forces are continuing to lose ground and are retreating from their former strongholds along the eastern coast of Libya.
Earlier, Prime Minister David Cameron said the UK was not ruling out providing arms to rebels in "certain circumstances" but no decision had been taken.
The UK has been involved in more than 160 aerial missions, as well as missile strikes, over Libya since coalition operations began on 19 March following a UN resolution.
The coalition military action is aimed at enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya and protecting civilians from attacks by forces loyal to its leader Col Muammar Gaddafi. It has denied air strikes are meant to provide cover for a rebel advance.
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