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| Theresa May under fire for picking ‘hard Brexiteers’ to help control EU exit negotiations | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Theresa May has been accused of packing the group of Cabinet ministers which will control EU exit negotiations with “hard Brexiteers”. | Theresa May has been accused of packing the group of Cabinet ministers which will control EU exit negotiations with “hard Brexiteers”. |
| The Prime Minister also provoked surprise by failing to allocate a place to the Attorney General – despite the complex legal challenges ahead before EU withdrawal can be delivered. | The Prime Minister also provoked surprise by failing to allocate a place to the Attorney General – despite the complex legal challenges ahead before EU withdrawal can be delivered. |
| And the Cabinet ministers for Scotland and Northern Ireland will only attend meetings “as required”, although border issues will also be crucial to Brexit. | And the Cabinet ministers for Scotland and Northern Ireland will only attend meetings “as required”, although border issues will also be crucial to Brexit. |
| The makeup of the European Union Exit and Trade Committee had not been released by Downing Street, but was revealed by the POLITICO website. | The makeup of the European Union Exit and Trade Committee had not been released by Downing Street, but was revealed by the POLITICO website. |
| Its job is to “oversee the negotiations on the withdrawal from the European Union and formation of a new relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union; and policy on international trade”. | Its job is to “oversee the negotiations on the withdrawal from the European Union and formation of a new relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union; and policy on international trade”. |
| The group includes all six members of Ms May’s Cabinet who campaigned to leave the EU at the June referendum. | The group includes all six members of Ms May’s Cabinet who campaigned to leave the EU at the June referendum. |
| Boris Johnson (Foreign Secretary), Liam Fox (International Trade Secretary) and David Davis (Brexit Secretary) were certain members – but they are joined by Priti Patel (International Development Secretary), Chris Grayling (Transport Secretary) and Andrea Leadsom (Environment Secretary). | Boris Johnson (Foreign Secretary), Liam Fox (International Trade Secretary) and David Davis (Brexit Secretary) were certain members – but they are joined by Priti Patel (International Development Secretary), Chris Grayling (Transport Secretary) and Andrea Leadsom (Environment Secretary). |
| Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: “The line-up is full of hard Brexiteers - this is a further sign that the government wants to pull us out in the most aggressive way possible, abandoning the single market. | Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: “The line-up is full of hard Brexiteers - this is a further sign that the government wants to pull us out in the most aggressive way possible, abandoning the single market. |
| “This is a case of May letting the foxes into the hen-house. She clearly wants to pursue a ‘hard Brexit’, putting jobs at risk, and we are seeing costs rise from our shelves to our petrol pumps.” | “This is a case of May letting the foxes into the hen-house. She clearly wants to pursue a ‘hard Brexit’, putting jobs at risk, and we are seeing costs rise from our shelves to our petrol pumps.” |
| Keir Starmer, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, said the appointments flew in the face of the Prime Minister's cliam to want a "national consensus on Brexit". | |
| He said: "The Government need to provide need answers, a plan and guarantee proper Parliamentary scrutiny. Theresa May’s decision to pack a key Brexit committee with Ministers committed to a hard Brexit will only fuel fears that she is putting narrow party interest above the national interest.” | |
| Ms May has sought to balance the 12-strong committee with five other members who, like her, sided with the Remain campaign to keep Britain in the EU. | Ms May has sought to balance the 12-strong committee with five other members who, like her, sided with the Remain campaign to keep Britain in the EU. |
| They are Philip Hammond (Chancellor of the Exchequer), Amber Rudd (Home Secretary), Damian Green (Work and Pensions Secretary), Greg Clark (Business Secretary) and Patrick McLoughlin (Conservative Party chairman). | They are Philip Hammond (Chancellor of the Exchequer), Amber Rudd (Home Secretary), Damian Green (Work and Pensions Secretary), Greg Clark (Business Secretary) and Patrick McLoughlin (Conservative Party chairman). |
| The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Secretaries will attend meetings “as required” but not as a matter of routine, according to the Government document. | The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Secretaries will attend meetings “as required” but not as a matter of routine, according to the Government document. |
| That omission is certain to draw fire from Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP First Minister, who has demanded an equal say on the withdrawal process. | That omission is certain to draw fire from Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP First Minister, who has demanded an equal say on the withdrawal process. |
| The committee’s make-up risks fuelling the concerns of businesses that the Government will pursue a so-called ‘hard Brexit’ – putting immigration controls ahead of access to the EU’s single market. | The committee’s make-up risks fuelling the concerns of businesses that the Government will pursue a so-called ‘hard Brexit’ – putting immigration controls ahead of access to the EU’s single market. |
| Fears over the UK’s future relationship with the EU were blamed for the pound’s plunge to a three-decade low against the dollar this week. | Fears over the UK’s future relationship with the EU were blamed for the pound’s plunge to a three-decade low against the dollar this week. |
| However, Ms May has long made clear that she will chair the committee and decisions will also rest on the stance of the other 27 EU nations. | However, Ms May has long made clear that she will chair the committee and decisions will also rest on the stance of the other 27 EU nations. |
| Cabinet committees reduce the burden on the full Cabinet, by enabling collective decisions to be taken by a smaller group of ministers. | Cabinet committees reduce the burden on the full Cabinet, by enabling collective decisions to be taken by a smaller group of ministers. |
| Meanwhile, the Prime Minister was today meeting Britain's ambassadors to the other 27 EU member-states, to discuss their assessment of the individual countries' attitudes to Brexit. | Meanwhile, the Prime Minister was today meeting Britain's ambassadors to the other 27 EU member-states, to discuss their assessment of the individual countries' attitudes to Brexit. |
| Since taking office, Mrs May has already visited eight EU states - France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Denmark, the Netherlands and Spain - as well as hosting the leaders of Ireland and Cyprus in Downing Street and speaking with the PMs of Luxembourg and Malta at the United Nations in New York. | Since taking office, Mrs May has already visited eight EU states - France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Denmark, the Netherlands and Spain - as well as hosting the leaders of Ireland and Cyprus in Downing Street and speaking with the PMs of Luxembourg and Malta at the United Nations in New York. |
| This leaves 15 leaders to meet in the eight weeks before a crucial European Council summit, on December 15. | This leaves 15 leaders to meet in the eight weeks before a crucial European Council summit, on December 15. |