British foreign secretary quits in protest over May's Brexit plan

[Jonathan Fairfield]

British foreign secretary quits in protest over May's Brexit plan

 

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson quit on Monday over Prime Minister Theresa May's plans to leave the European Union, the second resignation in a day leaving the British leader's Brexit plans all but in tatters.

 

After a day when the foreign secretary cancelled meetings for crisis talks at his official residence in central London, Johnson decided to walk from his job - just hours after May's Brexit minister David Davis did the same in protest at her plans.

 

The two resignations leave May badly exposed at the top of a government unable to unite over Britain's biggest foreign and trading policy shift in almost half a decade.

 

It also puts a question mark over whether the leader will try to weather it and stand firm in her commitment to pursue a "business friendly" Brexit, or will be faced with more resignations and calls to quit herself.

 

"This afternoon, the Prime Minister accepted the resignation of Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary," May's spokesman said in a statement. "His replacement will be announced shortly. The Prime Minister thanks Boris for his work."

 

The departures raise the stakes for May, who secured a hard-won agreement with her deeply divided cabinet of ministers on Friday to keep the closest possible trading ties with the EU.

 

Many eurosceptics are angry, saying the agreed strategy betrays her promise for a clean break with the EU, raising the prospect that some could try to unseat her.

 

(Additional reporting by Andrew MacAskill, Michael Holden and Kate Holton, Editing by William Maclean)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-09

 

[Basil B]

good riddance...

 

Edited July 9, 2018 by Basil B

[brewsterbudgen]

A self-centred, egotistic buffoon.  Hopefully more will follow, and a General Election can be held amidst the World Cup euphoria.  Maybe PM Corbyn will make Gareth Southgate Foreign Secretary?

 

[Basil B]

6 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

"This afternoon, the Prime Minister accepted the resignation of Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary," May's spokesman said in a statement. "His replacement will be announced shortly. The Prime Minister thanks Boris for his work."

Bet she has already got a replacement lined up, did not take long to replace the other wet blanket.

 

[pegman]

Boris looking out for Boris.

[ThreeEyedRaven]

Bye Bye Boris! Didn't think it would last.

Mays days look numbered too it would seem.

A day is a long time in politics.

[Jonathan Fairfield]

9 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

A self-centred, egotistic buffoon.  Hopefully more will follow, and a General Election can be held amidst the World Cup euphoria.  Maybe PM Corbyn will make Gareth Southgate Foreign Secretary?

 

 

Southgate would get my vote

[tebee]

Richard North
‏
It's just about the only decent thing Johnson's ever done in his life. My only regret is that he wasn't fired.

[jethro69]

Yes, the rats (which BTW, orchestrated that whole mess) are leaving the sinking ship. I would call them cowards at best.

[citybiker]

Two senior cabinet ministers doing the honourable thing when they’re unable to support a flawed plan.

Time to really wake up & listen PMTM...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[baboon]

2 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

A self-centred, egotistic buffoon.  Hopefully more will follow, and a General Election can be held amidst the World Cup euphoria.  Maybe PM Corbyn will make Gareth Southgate Foreign Secretary?

 

Self-centred and egotistical I will go along with. Buffoon? Not at all. Don't you worry, he is hatching his Machiavellian plans and will be back.

Brexiteers! This man is not your friend. He is a cunning and conniving opportunist. Where was he after the referendum? That's right, gone.

 

By all means let's get Brexit on when a competent government have plans a,b,c and d together. What we have now is simply madness... 

[Kadilo]

A man of great principle, voted for it on Friday, resigns on Monday following Davis making the first move. Gutless. 

Only one thing on his mind and it ain’t the World Cup Semi hence the scathing resignation letter. 

[Enoon]

 

One step.......two steps closer to the pressing of the "reset" button.

 

 

[Samui Bodoh]

I have said it before and will say it again; the UK is not ready for Brexit and to undertake such a huge, complicated policy shift with little or no large scale agreement, consensus and/or with a minority, incompetent government is pure madness!

 

Many will condemn my idea, but I recommend that the UK should delay Brexit (5 years? 10 Years? 20 Years?) until it manages to get its act together, have consensus on what it wants, and has a government capable of delivering that.

 

Moving forward under these circumstances is plain stupid.

 

 

[simple1]

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I have said it before and will say it again; the UK is not ready for Brexit and to undertake such a huge, complicated policy shift with little or no large scale agreement, consensus and/or with a minority, incompetent government is pure madness!

 

Many will condemn my idea, but I recommend that the UK should delay Brexit (5 years? 10 Years? 20 Years?) until it manages to get its act together, have consensus on what it wants, and has a government capable of delivering that.

 

Moving forward under these circumstances is plain stupid.

Is it legally possible for HMG to exit from BREXIT? If so...

 

What is currently the level of voter support for BREXIT now reality of the lies by Leavers have been exposed? Doubt Corbyn can achieve power, so why not announce intention to exit from Brexit and a General Election for voter buy-in or not. 

[webfact]

UPDATE:

 

UK PM May appoints Jeremy Hunt as new foreign minister

 

Britain's new Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Jeremy Hunt talks to the media outside the Foreign Office in central London, Britain, July 9, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson

 

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May appointed Jeremy Hunt as foreign minister on Monday after predecessor Boris Johnson resigned in protest at the government's plans for a close trading relationship with the European Union.

 

Full story: https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1047572-uk-pm-may-appoints-jeremy-hunt-as-new-foreign-minister/

 

[Samui Bodoh]

9 minutes ago, simple1 said:

Is it legally possible for HMG to exit from BREXIT? If so...

 

What is currently the level of voter support for BREXIT now reality of the lies by Leavers have been exposed? Doubt Corbyn can achieve power, so why not announce intention to exit from Brexit and a General Election for voter buy-in or not. 

I am not British, so I cannot give you a definitive answer.

 

That said, there is a general rule that a Parliament can do whatever it wants. Revoke the Brexit legislation; it only takes a vote...

 

The question is whether Europe would accept it, and if there were a... 20 year commitment(?) to the EU followed by another vote, then I think they would agree. Happily; they all seem to think it is a bad idea...

 

Stop the madness or pay the price of a botched, terrible, incompetent break-up process.

 

Edited July 9, 2018 by Samui Bodoh
Lack of coffee

[Scott]

Troll post removed.  

[JAG]

2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I have said it before and will say it again; the UK is not ready for Brexit and to undertake such a huge, complicated policy shift with little or no large scale agreement, consensus and/or with a minority, incompetent government is pure madness!

 

Many will condemn my idea, but I recommend that the UK should delay Brexit (5 years? 10 Years? 20 Years?) until it manages to get its act together, have consensus on what it wants, and has a government capable of delivering that.

 

Moving forward under these circumstances is plain stupid.

 

 

Your suggestion falls at two fences. Firstly, whether you like it or not, the expressed view of the UK electorate was to leave the EU. It is incumbent upon the government, any government which may emerge, to carry out that wish; unless there is a clear mandate through a General Election to reverse that decision. The comparatively recent General Election, although it produced this incompetent shambles of a government, did not produce that mandate.

 

The second fence is that the EU, as an organisation does not stand still, it is evolving, down a path towards "ever closer union". A state which we (the UK) have emphatically rejected, and one on which the electorates of most of the other countries are denied a say.

 

So we will end up as unwilling members of a Union from which in 5 or 10 years it will be much more difficult to leave. I shudder to consider the cost, in terms of sovereignty  or fiscally, we will have to pay to either remain or subsequently leave.

 

Finally may I suggest that the very same principle of accepting the wish of an electorate in the face of a desire to maintain a status quo, which we both argue for here in our many discussions on Thai politics, should apply in the UK?

 

 

 

[Laughing Gravy]

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

I have said it before and will say it again; the UK is not ready for Brexit and to undertake such a huge, complicated policy shift with little or no large scale agreement, consensus and/or with a minority, incompetent government is pure madness!

 

 

I disagree the UK has been ready for Brexit for years and David Cameron finally had to honour is promise unlike Blair and others. It is the Gravy train politicians and the EU's morphed strength in business and banking that they are desperately trying (successfully at the moment) to keep the UK in the EU ensuring large amounts of money is still getting paid and control of the people continues.

 

I will agree that the government is incompetent and what do you expect with a remainer and mainly remainer cabinet in power. If a leave PM was at the helm it would be different.

 

For all those frothing at the mouth Corbynites, wetting their pants in anticipation of a 'Trotsky' government. I wouldn't bother. he can't make his mind up which side he is on. A more likely outcome in my opinion would be a leadership challenge.

 

I do find it sad how so many UK people don't have the confidence that the UK can be a separate entity like Japan, like China, USA etc etc and be successful. It always was before the EU and still is. The EU seems to have done a good job at brainwashing and scaring people into believing that countries would crumble without the EU telling what to do and when.

Edited July 10, 2018 by Laughing Gravy

[lanista]

With England possibly going through to the World Cup final its a great opportunity for pollies to dissent and the government to make some really  unpopular decsions.  The public are sheeple that will be hypnotised by a football game. Alot of weird stuff is happening in the UK but not in Russia.

[Stargeezr]

Besides Germany, and maybe France, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, and a few others, how is the EU really doing. Is Italy almost broke, will Greece ever pay off any of its huge debt. Is the influx of refugees from Africa helping or just hurting the whole situation? Brexit still sounds better

than remaining in the EU, at least in my opinion.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, Laughing Gravy said:

I disagree the UK has been ready for Brexit for years and David Cameron finally had to honour is promise unlike Blair and others. It is the Gravy train politicians and the EU's morphed strength in business and banking that they are desperately trying (successfully at the moment) to keep the UK in the EU ensuring large amounts of money is still getting paid and control of the people continues.

 

I will agree that the government is incompetent and what do you expect with a remainer and mainly remainer cabinet in power. If a leave PM was at the helm it would be different.

 

For all those frothing at the mouth Corbynites, wetting their pants in anticipation of a 'Trotsky' government. I wouldn't bother. he can't make his mind up which side he is on. A more likely outcome in my opinion would be a leadership challenge.

 

I do find it sad how so many UK people don't have the confidence that the UK can be a separate entity like Japan, like China, USA etc etc and be successful. It always was before the EU and still is. The EU seems to have done a good job at brainwashing and scaring people into believing that countries would crumble without the EU telling what to do and when.

“I disagree the UK has been ready for Brexit for years and David Cameron finally had to honour is promise unlike Blair and others.”

 

If ‘the UK has been ready for Brexit for years’, where’s the bladdy plan?

 

 

Brexit, empty promises clanging around in an empty vessel.

[tebee]

15 hours ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

Besides Germany, and maybe France, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, and a few others, how is the EU really doing. Is Italy almost broke, will Greece ever pay off any of its huge debt. Is the influx of refugees from Africa helping or just hurting the whole situation? Brexit still sounds better

than remaining in the EU, at least in my opinion.

Rest of the EU is doing very well, thank you very much. Record growth in most of the eastern states. It's been EU policy to help them come up to the standard of the older EU members and that is exactly what is happening.

[Stargeezr]

You say Greece is  now on a speedy road of recovery? Wow! Really?

[Chomper Higgot]

5 minutes ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

You say Greece is  now on a speedy road of recovery? Wow! Really?

Did he say ‘speedy road of recovery?

 

The FT says highest growth for a decade.

 

https://www.ft.com/content/326f2c10-6807-11e8-b6eb-4acfcfb08c11

[RuamRudy]

2 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

I disagree the UK has been ready for Brexit for years and David Cameron finally had to honour is promise unlike Blair and others. It is the Gravy train politicians and the EU's morphed strength in business and banking that they are desperately trying (successfully at the moment) to keep the UK in the EU ensuring large amounts of money is still getting paid and control of the people continues.

 

I will agree that the government is incompetent and what do you expect with a remainer and mainly remainer cabinet in power. If a leave PM was at the helm it would be different.

 

For all those frothing at the mouth Corbynites, wetting their pants in anticipation of a 'Trotsky' government. I wouldn't bother. he can't make his mind up which side he is on. A more likely outcome in my opinion would be a leadership challenge.

 

I do find it sad how so many UK people don't have the confidence that the UK can be a separate entity like Japan, like China, USA etc etc and be successful. It always was before the EU and still is. The EU seems to have done a good job at brainwashing and scaring people into believing that countries would crumble without the EU telling what to do and when.

 

If the UK was ready for Brexit, why did the Leave camp manage to muster barely 1 in 3 of the electorate to back them? The UK has been made an international laughing stock; is being brought to its knees to satisfy 37% of the electorate. There is no denying that Leave got marginally more votes than Remain, however the picture being painted of a UK population desperate to leave the EU is... desperate.

[Laughing Gravy]

8 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

 

If the UK was ready for Brexit, why did the Leave camp manage to muster barely 1 in 3 of the electorate to back them? The UK has been made an international laughing stock; is being brought to its knees to satisfy 37% of the electorate. There is no denying that Leave got marginally more votes than Remain, however the picture being painted of a UK population desperate to leave the EU is... desperate.

The UK was more then ready, hence the result even with the prime Minister sending leaflets to every household and the project fear. Remember the remain mustered as you say, even less votes.

 

The establishment and the EU puppets from the media to banks and businesses have and are still trying desperately to keep the UK in the EU. I would say your tone here is just one of bitterness clutching at a weak and poor statistical figure.

 

Admit it more people voted to leave than remain and I am more than confident would do again, with a more truthful and even playing field, be a greater win. I wonder if you would have felt the same if the result was the same in the Scottish referendum, with 52% wanting to leave the UK. I know the answer so no need to reply. Double standards.

[Laughing Gravy]

53 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

“I disagree the UK has been ready for Brexit for years and David Cameron finally had to honour is promise unlike Blair and others.”

 

If ‘the UK has been ready for Brexit for years’, where’s the bladdy plan?

 

 

Brexit, empty promises clanging around in an empty vessel.

The plan was easy. Even simpletons understood it as it was told from the beginning. Leave the EU, leave the CU and CM and the ECJ. The problem was/is you have politicians and Gina Miller types who are trying with Soros money to stop that plan. If a proper leaver was running the government then the plan would have been executed.

[RuamRudy]

4 minutes ago, Laughing Gravy said:

The UK was more then ready, hence the result even with the prime Minister sending leaflets to every household and the project fear. Remember the remain mustered as you say, even less votes.

 

The establishment and the EU puppets from the media to banks and businesses have and are still trying desperately to keep the UK in the EU. I would say your tone here is just one of bitterness clutching at a weak and poor statistical figure.

 

Admit it more people voted to leave than remain and I am more than confident would do again, with a more truthful and even playing field, be a greater win. I wonder if you would have felt the same if the result was the same in the Scottish referendum, with 52% wanting to leave the UK. I know the answer so no need to reply. Double standards.

I have called for the EU referendum to be repeated, not because of the split or voter turnout, but because of the dirty tricks of both sides and the mounting evidence pointing to illegality from the Leave campaign. If all was above board and there was no evidence of foul play, then I would not be in a position to call for a repeat.

 

HOWEVER, I would continue to point out that your comments such as

 

2 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

I disagree the UK has been ready for Brexit for years

is disingenuous, hubristic nonsense. If the UK was ready, more than 50% of the electorate would be supportive of Brexit.