LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May chairs a meeting of her new-look cabinet on Tuesday as she clings to power following the resignation of her foreign and Brexit ministers in protest at her strategy for leaving the European Union.
May has faced a backlash over the plan from Brexit hardliners in her Conservative Party who say it gives too many concessions to the EU, but she has support from moderates and there has been no challenge to her leadership. Former foreign minister Boris Johnson, who wrote in his resignation letter that the Brexit “dream is dying” and that Britain was headed for the “status of the colony” of the EU under May’s leadership, is seen as a potential challenger.
Johnson’s dramatic resignation on Monday just hours after Brexit minister David Davis quit late on Sunday plunged the value of the pound on currency markets. The gaffe-prone Johnson was quickly replaced by 51-year-old former health minister Jeremy Hunt, who unlike Johnson supported staying in the European Union in the 2016 referendum. Dominic Raab, a Brexit supporter, and former housing minister was appointed to replace Davis only days before negotiations in Brussels are due to resume next week.
A relevant piece published earlier:
i) British Health Minister Jeremy Hunt will replace Boris Johnson as Foreign Minister, Prime Minister Theresa May’s Downing Street office said on Monday following Johnson’s dramatic resignation over the government’s strategy for Brexit. “The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of… Jeremy Hunt MP as Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs,” Downing Street said in a statement. (Published on 10th July 2018)
A relevant piece published earlier: In an enormous blow for PM May, the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson resigned after her Brexit minister called it a day over her plans for leaving the EU. According to a 10 Downing Street statement, the PM had thanked Boris for his work and his replacement would be announced shortly. Theresa May faced down a backlash against her strategy for leaving the European Union on Monday as both her Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit minister David Davis resigned in protest. Johnson warned in his letter of resignation to May that Britain was headed for the “status of the colony” of the EU after it leaves in March, and said the Brexit “dream is dying”.
May responded that she was “sorry and a little surprised” by his decision but said she accepted it was necessary “if you are not able to provide the support we need to secure this deal in the interests of the United Kingdom”. She replaced him with Health Minister Jeremy Hunt, a Japanese-speaking former entrepreneur who unlike Johnson voted for Britain to stay in the EU in the 2016 referendum. Johnson’s dramatic resignation followed those of Davis and his deputy Steve Baker overnight over May’s plans to keep Britain economically close to the bloc. Two parliamentary private secretaries – MPs who act as assistants to ministers – also quit their posts. The departures, hailed by eurosceptic MPs in the ruling Conservative party, triggered speculation that May could face an imminent leadership contest. But, appearing in the House of Commons, a confident-sounding May defended her Brexit proposals. (Published on 9th July 2018)
