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| UK ambassador's exit is 'wilful destruction of EU expertise' | UK ambassador's exit is 'wilful destruction of EU expertise' |
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| The sudden resignation on Tuesday of Britain’s ambassador to the European Union has prompted angry accusations from Remain supporters that officials who express cautions over the Brexit process risk being pressured out of their jobs | |
| Sir Ivan Rogers’ resignation, so close to the start of Brexit negotiations at the end of March, amounted to a “wilful and total destruction of EU expertise”, according to the former top civil servant at the Treasury. | Sir Ivan Rogers’ resignation, so close to the start of Brexit negotiations at the end of March, amounted to a “wilful and total destruction of EU expertise”, according to the former top civil servant at the Treasury. |
| In an unusually candid intervention Lord MacPherson, who was permanent secretary from 2005 until last year, said Rogers’ decision was a huge loss and that he was the latest in a string of EU experts to be frozen out, describing the decision as “amateurish”. | In an unusually candid intervention Lord MacPherson, who was permanent secretary from 2005 until last year, said Rogers’ decision was a huge loss and that he was the latest in a string of EU experts to be frozen out, describing the decision as “amateurish”. |
| MacPherson also cited Rogers’ predecessor, Jon Cunliffe, and Tom Scholar, previously the prime minister’s adviser on European issues who is now permanent secretary at the Treasury. His warning appears to reflect a Treasury concern that Theresa May is under pressure by sceptics to abandon hopes of trying to negotiate access to the profitable EU single market, even on a temporary basis. | MacPherson also cited Rogers’ predecessor, Jon Cunliffe, and Tom Scholar, previously the prime minister’s adviser on European issues who is now permanent secretary at the Treasury. His warning appears to reflect a Treasury concern that Theresa May is under pressure by sceptics to abandon hopes of trying to negotiate access to the profitable EU single market, even on a temporary basis. |
| There have been disputes across Whitehall on whether the UK can afford a so-called Hard Brexit. | |
| The foreign office played down the implications of the resignation, saying Sir Ivan had been due to leave in November adding he was merely “resigned a few months early”. | The foreign office played down the implications of the resignation, saying Sir Ivan had been due to leave in November adding he was merely “resigned a few months early”. |
| “Sir Ivan has taken this decision now to enable a successor to be appointed before the UK invokes rticle 50 by the end of March,” a spokeswoman said. But Sir Ivan has known since October that he was due to leave his Brussels post before the talks are due to end in 2019, raising questions as to why he was given a vital role in preparing for the negotiations in the first place. The foreign office said he is due to leave his post within weeks, but may not leave the civil service. | “Sir Ivan has taken this decision now to enable a successor to be appointed before the UK invokes rticle 50 by the end of March,” a spokeswoman said. But Sir Ivan has known since October that he was due to leave his Brussels post before the talks are due to end in 2019, raising questions as to why he was given a vital role in preparing for the negotiations in the first place. The foreign office said he is due to leave his post within weeks, but may not leave the civil service. |
| Ivan Rogers huge loss. Can't understand wilful&total destruction of EU expertise, with Cunliffe,Ellam&Scholar also out of loop.#amateurism | Ivan Rogers huge loss. Can't understand wilful&total destruction of EU expertise, with Cunliffe,Ellam&Scholar also out of loop.#amateurism |
| Rogers angered Eurosceptics in December when it emerged he had told ministers it could take 10 years to negotiate a free-trade deal with the EU. Downing Street insisted at the time that the ambassador had been communicating the views of some European leaders, rather than giving his own assessment. | Rogers angered Eurosceptics in December when it emerged he had told ministers it could take 10 years to negotiate a free-trade deal with the EU. Downing Street insisted at the time that the ambassador had been communicating the views of some European leaders, rather than giving his own assessment. |
| A Whitehall source said the early departure had been discussed before Rogers told his staff on Tuesday. However, Nick Clegg, who worked with Rogers in Brussels, said it appeared to be the latest in a series of attacks against public officials who had expressed caution about Brexit. | A Whitehall source said the early departure had been discussed before Rogers told his staff on Tuesday. However, Nick Clegg, who worked with Rogers in Brussels, said it appeared to be the latest in a series of attacks against public officials who had expressed caution about Brexit. |
| “First it was the judges, condemned as enemies of the people for just doing their jobs,” the former deputy prime minister told the Guardian. | “First it was the judges, condemned as enemies of the people for just doing their jobs,” the former deputy prime minister told the Guardian. |
| “It’s been the CBI and any business that didn’t sign up to the Brexit zeal, and now it’s senior officials being kneecapped in the Brexit press, after Sir Ivan Rogers just gave candid advice about the length of time negotiations might take. | “It’s been the CBI and any business that didn’t sign up to the Brexit zeal, and now it’s senior officials being kneecapped in the Brexit press, after Sir Ivan Rogers just gave candid advice about the length of time negotiations might take. |
| “They are in the firing line if they do not endorse a zealous world view. This is a very worrying trend, and very new in British politics.” Insisting civil service neutrality is a precious British asset, Clegg said the government should value candid advice:. “It will come back to haunt the Brexit headbangers, because you can insist as much and hysterically as you like that the world is flat, but there are only so many people you can condemn for just pointing out the truth, that the world is round and that Brexit is complicated, might take time and might not be fully to Britain’s advantage.” | “They are in the firing line if they do not endorse a zealous world view. This is a very worrying trend, and very new in British politics.” Insisting civil service neutrality is a precious British asset, Clegg said the government should value candid advice:. “It will come back to haunt the Brexit headbangers, because you can insist as much and hysterically as you like that the world is flat, but there are only so many people you can condemn for just pointing out the truth, that the world is round and that Brexit is complicated, might take time and might not be fully to Britain’s advantage.” |
| The former chancellor George Osborne tweeted to praise Rogers for his work with him during meetings of EU finance ministers. He added: “He is a perceptive, pragmatic & patriotic public servant”. | The former chancellor George Osborne tweeted to praise Rogers for his work with him during meetings of EU finance ministers. He added: “He is a perceptive, pragmatic & patriotic public servant”. |
| With the choice of Sir Ivan’s successor bound to be seen as a signal of the direction of UK Brexit policy, Euro-sceptics demanded an enthusiastic Brexiteer replace Sir Ivan and called for an ideological purge of officials in the foreign office. | With the choice of Sir Ivan’s successor bound to be seen as a signal of the direction of UK Brexit policy, Euro-sceptics demanded an enthusiastic Brexiteer replace Sir Ivan and called for an ideological purge of officials in the foreign office. |
| Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader, said “No organisation has done more to give away our democratic rights than the Foreign Office. They’ve been doing it for decades and I very much hope that Sir Ivan is the first of many to go. | Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader, said “No organisation has done more to give away our democratic rights than the Foreign Office. They’ve been doing it for decades and I very much hope that Sir Ivan is the first of many to go. |
| John Redwood the Euro-sceptic MP said ” Sir Ivan’s heart was not in the negotiations. The talks do not need to be that complicated. If you leave, you leave. You take control of your borders, your laws, and your money and that is not something that needs to be negotiated with Mrs Merkel”. | John Redwood the Euro-sceptic MP said ” Sir Ivan’s heart was not in the negotiations. The talks do not need to be that complicated. If you leave, you leave. You take control of your borders, your laws, and your money and that is not something that needs to be negotiated with Mrs Merkel”. |
| Sir Ivan, appointed by Cameron to represent the UK in Brussels, had endured a difficult relationship with Downing Street special advisers during the negotiations ahead of the referendum. | Sir Ivan, appointed by Cameron to represent the UK in Brussels, had endured a difficult relationship with Downing Street special advisers during the negotiations ahead of the referendum. |
| Some Conservatives blamed Sir Ivan for under-pitching what could be achieved and advising against taking a harder line. One adviser said “It was not about him being a Europhile, but about being difficult. He not only said the UK did not understand the EU, but the EU did not understand the UK. He was just the most out front of the civil servants, but many others thought like him”. | Some Conservatives blamed Sir Ivan for under-pitching what could be achieved and advising against taking a harder line. One adviser said “It was not about him being a Europhile, but about being difficult. He not only said the UK did not understand the EU, but the EU did not understand the UK. He was just the most out front of the civil servants, but many others thought like him”. |
| Sources said the main two points of tension were over whether it was feasible for the UK to threaten to drop out of the EU without a deal, falling back on WTO terms and how to persuade the EU to negotiate simultaneously on the UK’s divorce terms and a future UK-EU relationship. Theresa May has to set out her negotiation strategy to MPs in March, but has so far given next to nothing away. | Sources said the main two points of tension were over whether it was feasible for the UK to threaten to drop out of the EU without a deal, falling back on WTO terms and how to persuade the EU to negotiate simultaneously on the UK’s divorce terms and a future UK-EU relationship. Theresa May has to set out her negotiation strategy to MPs in March, but has so far given next to nothing away. |
| The Conservative MP Dominic Raab, a member of the exiting the European Unionselect committee, said it would have been more disruptive if Rogers had left in November. | The Conservative MP Dominic Raab, a member of the exiting the European Unionselect committee, said it would have been more disruptive if Rogers had left in November. |
| “Sir Ivan is a distinguished diplomat with a long record of public service,” Raab said. “He didn’t exactly hide the fact that his heart wasn’t in Brexit, and he was due to step down in the autumn anyway. It makes sense all round to give the ambassador who will see the negotiations through some lead time.” | “Sir Ivan is a distinguished diplomat with a long record of public service,” Raab said. “He didn’t exactly hide the fact that his heart wasn’t in Brexit, and he was due to step down in the autumn anyway. It makes sense all round to give the ambassador who will see the negotiations through some lead time.” |
| However, Labour’s Hilary Benn, who chairs the EEU committee, told the BBC the resignation was “not a good thing” and the government would be under pressure to get a replacement up to speed to meet Theresa May’s timetable for triggering article 50. | However, Labour’s Hilary Benn, who chairs the EEU committee, told the BBC the resignation was “not a good thing” and the government would be under pressure to get a replacement up to speed to meet Theresa May’s timetable for triggering article 50. |
| “I think that it means that the government will have to get its skates on to make sure there is a replacement in place so he or she can work with Sir Ivan in the transition, the handover,” said the former shadow foreign secretary. | “I think that it means that the government will have to get its skates on to make sure there is a replacement in place so he or she can work with Sir Ivan in the transition, the handover,” said the former shadow foreign secretary. |
| Peter Mandelson, the former Labour cabinet minister and EU commissioner, said Rogers’ experience was “second to none in Whitehall” and a serious loss for the UK negotiating team. | Peter Mandelson, the former Labour cabinet minister and EU commissioner, said Rogers’ experience was “second to none in Whitehall” and a serious loss for the UK negotiating team. |