Two top UK ministers resign over disagreement with PM's Brexit plan
- 6 years ago
The government of British Prime Minister Theresa May has been thrown into turmoil after two of her top ministers resigned over disagreements on Brexit.
Boris Johnson resigned as Foreign Secretary on Monday, just hours after Sunday night's resignation of David Davis as Brexit minister.
For more on this and other news around the world we turn to our Ro Aram…
Aram… not the best of times for Mrs. May….
That's right Mark… Boris Johnson's resignation could not have come at a worse time for Prime Minister May.
It comes just two days ahead of a NATO Summit, as well as an upcoming visit to the UK by U.S. President Donald Trump.
In his resignation letter, Johnson said the prime minister was leading the UK into a "semi-Brexit" that would leave Britain as a "colony" of the EU.
He has been replaced by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
The resignation of David Davis as Brexit minister also leaves his replacement, Dominic Raab, just under a year to steer the UK out of the European Union.
May expressed regret over the resignations, but insisted her Brexit plans were the way to go.
"What we are proposing is challenging for the EU. It requires them... it requires them to think again to look beyond the positions they've taken so far and agree a new and fair balance of rights and obligations. Because that is the only way to meet our commitments to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland without damaging the constitutional integrity of the UK and while respecting the result of the referendum."
The resignations sparked immediate criticism from the opposition Labour Party.
"We have a crisis in government. Two secretaries of state have resigned, and still we are no clearer on what the future relationship with our nearest neighbours and biggest partners will look like. Workers and businesses deserve better than this. It is clear Mr. Speaker this government is not capable of securing a deal to protect the economy, jobs and living standards."
Meanwhile, the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said he hoped the change in ministers could result in a change in policy.
Boris Johnson resigned as Foreign Secretary on Monday, just hours after Sunday night's resignation of David Davis as Brexit minister.
For more on this and other news around the world we turn to our Ro Aram…
Aram… not the best of times for Mrs. May….
That's right Mark… Boris Johnson's resignation could not have come at a worse time for Prime Minister May.
It comes just two days ahead of a NATO Summit, as well as an upcoming visit to the UK by U.S. President Donald Trump.
In his resignation letter, Johnson said the prime minister was leading the UK into a "semi-Brexit" that would leave Britain as a "colony" of the EU.
He has been replaced by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
The resignation of David Davis as Brexit minister also leaves his replacement, Dominic Raab, just under a year to steer the UK out of the European Union.
May expressed regret over the resignations, but insisted her Brexit plans were the way to go.
"What we are proposing is challenging for the EU. It requires them... it requires them to think again to look beyond the positions they've taken so far and agree a new and fair balance of rights and obligations. Because that is the only way to meet our commitments to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland without damaging the constitutional integrity of the UK and while respecting the result of the referendum."
The resignations sparked immediate criticism from the opposition Labour Party.
"We have a crisis in government. Two secretaries of state have resigned, and still we are no clearer on what the future relationship with our nearest neighbours and biggest partners will look like. Workers and businesses deserve better than this. It is clear Mr. Speaker this government is not capable of securing a deal to protect the economy, jobs and living standards."
Meanwhile, the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said he hoped the change in ministers could result in a change in policy.