David Davis has handed in his resignation as Brexit Secretary
The move comes days after Theresa May won the cabinet’s backing for her Brexit plan.
Davis handed in his letter at around midnight on Sunday night. In his resignation, he gave his opinion that: “The general direction of policy will leave us in at best a weak negotiating position, and possibly an inescapable one.”
He also said that he thought it “look less and less likely” that UK will leave the single market and customs union.
In a written reply, Theresa May said that she did “not agree with [Davis’] characterisation of the policy we agreed at cabinet on Friday.”
She did however “thank [Davis] warmly” for his work to “shape our departure from the EU”.
Junior minister Steven Baker also resigned shortly after Davis. Baker had joined the Department for Exiting the EU as a parliamentary under-secretary in June 2017.
The new Brexit plan agreed at Chequers last week says that the UK is committed to “continued harmonisation” with EU rules and will “maintain a common rulebook for all goods”.
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said Davis has “No choice but resignation”.
Jeremy Corbyn said that Davis resignation showed that May has “no authority left and is incapable of delivering Brexit”.
David Davis resigning at such a crucial time shows @Theresa_May has no authority left and is incapable of delivering Brexit.
With her Government in chaos, if she clings on, it's clear she's more interested in hanging on for her own sake than serving the people of our country.
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) July 8, 2018
Davis was appointed Brexit Secretary in 2016.
