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Brexit secretary Dominic Raab resigns, saying he cannot back May's deal - Politics live | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Iain Duncan Smith, a leading Tory Brexiter and former party party leader, has just told BBC News that the impact of Raab’s resignation will be “devastating”. He says that Raab’s letter suggests that, within government, he has been ignored. | |
And here is the full text of Raab’s resignation letter. | |
Dear Prime Minister, | |
It has been an honour to serve in your government as justice minister, housing minister and Brexit secretary. | |
I regret to say that, following the cabinet meeting yesterday on the Brexit deal. I must resign. I understand why you have chosen to pursue the deal with the EU on the terms proposed, and I respect the different views held in good faith by all of our colleagues. | |
For my part, I cannot support the proposed deal for two reasons. First I believe that the regulatory regime proposed for Northern Ireland presents a very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom. | |
Second, I cannot support an indefinite backstop arrangement, where the EU holds a veto over our ability to exit. The terms of the backstop amount to a hybrid of the EU customs union and single market obligations. No democratic nation has ever signed up to be bound by such an extensive regime, imposed externally without any democratic control over the laws to be applied, nor the ability to decide to exit the arrangement. That arrangement is now also taken as the starting point for negotiating the future economic partnership. If we accept that, it will severely prejudice the second phase of negotiations against the UK. | |
Above all, I cannot reconcile the terms of the proposed deal with the promises we made to the country in our manifesto at the last election. This is, at its heart, a matter of public trust. | |
I appreciate that you disagree with my judgment on these issues. I have weighed very carefully the alternative courses of action which the government could take, on which I have previously advised. Ultimately, you deserve a Brexit secretary who can make the case for the deal you are pursuing with conviction. I am only sorry, in good conscience, that I cannot. | |
My respect for you and the fortitude you have shown in difficult times, remains undimmed. | |
Yours sincerely | |
Dominic Raab | |
Here is the key extract from Dominic Raab’s resignation letter. | |
For my part, I cannot support the proposed deal for two reasons. First, I believe that the regulatory regime proposed for Northern Ireland presents a very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom. | |
Second, I cannot support an indefinite backstop arrangement, where the EU holds a veto over our ability to exit. The terms of the backstop amount to a hybrid of the EU customs union and single market obligations. No democratic nation has ever signed up to be bound by such an extensive regime, imposed externally without any democratic control over the laws to be applied, nor the ability to decide the exit arrangement. That arrangement is now also taken as the starting point for negotiating the future economic partnership. If we accept that, it will severely prejudice the second phase of negotiations against the UK. | |
Above all, I cannot reconcile the terms of the proposed deal with the promises we madd to the country in our manifesto at the last election. This is, at its heart, a matter of public trust. | |
In the last few minutes, since news broke of Dominic Raab’s resignation, the pound has fallen sharply ... down more than 1% against the euro and the dollar - a big move. Against the euro it is now 1.1382 and against the dollar $1.2873. It was over $1.30 first thing this morning. | |
Dominic Raab has resigned as Brexit secretary. | |
Today, I have resigned as Brexit Secretary. I cannot in good conscience support the terms proposed for our deal with the EU. Here is my letter to the PM explaining my reasons, and my enduring respect for her. pic.twitter.com/tf5CUZnnUz | |
Shailesh Vara said he quit the government because the agreements binds the UK to a customs arrangement with the EU with no unilateral means of getting out. | |
Speaking to the Today programme he said: “For us to tie ourselves up to mechanism where we are not in control is not in the interest of the country. The people were given a choice and they voted for a sovereign, independent United Kingdom and this isn’t going to provide it.” | |
He added: | |
When the people voted in the referendum it was a very simple choice: in or out. | |
And this is a halfway house and we are going to be locked in for an indefinite period [to a] customs arrangement – an institution over which we will have no say and effectively be taking rules and regulations from the EU. And if we want to leave the customs arrangement then we can’t. | |
I don’t think that is an argument to say that we are going to be a sovereign nation if we can’t leave the customs arrangement on our own. | |
It is important that we have economic and constitution integrity throughout the four nations which make up the United Kingdom. But what this envisages is separate arrangements for Northern Ireland. I think it is important that we respect our constitution. | |
There is a way out where we can simply say we have had enough we’re out. We are locked into a process and procedure. | |
If you have to go through these mechanism then as a lawyer I say you have to put forward your argument, the other side will put forward their argument and one side is going to win and it may not be us that would win. | |
They are not keen on us leaving and we could be locked in for many many years. The EU have made absolutely clear that they prefer the slow approach, they have made it absolutely clear they don’t want us to leave. | |
Good morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, taking over from Matthew Weaver. | |
According to the Press Association, Esther McVey, the Brexiter work and pensions secretary and one of those cabinet ministers most unhappy about the Brexit deal, would not answer questions as she left her flat in London this morning. “Thank you and good morning,” she told reporters. | |
McVey features prominently in the various insider accounts of what happened at yesterday’s cabinet. For example, this is from Sam Coates and Frances Elliott’s story (paywall) in the Times. | |
Ms McVey, one of the most ardent Brexiteers of the cabinet, demanded a vote during the meeting to force each minister to commit definitively one way or another to the draft Brexit deal. | |
Colleagues were unimpressed, with one describing her as “aggressive” and another describing a “massive row” which “got really fruity” with the minister pushing her point more than once. | |
Ms McVey was then shut down by Julian Smith, the chief whip, and Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary. | |
Sir Mark “raised his voice” and “read out the cabinet manual to her” to remind her of the principles of collective cabinet responsibility. It is a moment some Brexiteers are unlikely to forget in a hurry. | |
Jack Blanchard has a good round-up of the best anecdotes about cabinet from today’s papers in his Politico Europe London Playbook briefing. | |
The Irish government is backing the deal. | The Irish government is backing the deal. |
Ireland's deputy PM Simon Coveney says "people on the border communities who saw themselves as collateral damage" now have a treaty that will protect them. He says the backstop is a "fallback" that nobody wants to use but gives people of NI a floor | Ireland's deputy PM Simon Coveney says "people on the border communities who saw themselves as collateral damage" now have a treaty that will protect them. He says the backstop is a "fallback" that nobody wants to use but gives people of NI a floor |
Coveney says May now has to show "that mettle again" that she used getting this for and using her "powers of persuasion" to get her opponents to support the deal. | Coveney says May now has to show "that mettle again" that she used getting this for and using her "powers of persuasion" to get her opponents to support the deal. |
Coveney: "I think Theresa May will now have to persuade people, the consequences so not voting for this pulling it down is chaotic. " " | Coveney: "I think Theresa May will now have to persuade people, the consequences so not voting for this pulling it down is chaotic. " " |
Scotland’s Brexit secretary Michael Russell will make a statement to Holyrood this afternoon, but speaking on BBC Scotland this morning he confirmed that SNP MPs would not support May’s Brexit deal in its current form. | Scotland’s Brexit secretary Michael Russell will make a statement to Holyrood this afternoon, but speaking on BBC Scotland this morning he confirmed that SNP MPs would not support May’s Brexit deal in its current form. |
He said that the SNP’s Westminster group were working closely with other opposition parties to examine other ways forward.He described May’s current deal as “a mess of her making” and insisted that “no one should accept that its Theresa May’s way or no way at all”.Echoing first minister Nicola Sturgeon’s comment last night, he said that the deal was “disastrous” for Scotland. “Even one detail of it, ending freedom of movement, is disastrous for every sector in Scotland”.Russell also insisted that if Northern Ireland could have a continuing differentiated relationship with the EU then Scotland, which voted decisively to remain within Europe, should too: “If it can be done elsewhere it can be done in Scotland.” | He said that the SNP’s Westminster group were working closely with other opposition parties to examine other ways forward.He described May’s current deal as “a mess of her making” and insisted that “no one should accept that its Theresa May’s way or no way at all”.Echoing first minister Nicola Sturgeon’s comment last night, he said that the deal was “disastrous” for Scotland. “Even one detail of it, ending freedom of movement, is disastrous for every sector in Scotland”.Russell also insisted that if Northern Ireland could have a continuing differentiated relationship with the EU then Scotland, which voted decisively to remain within Europe, should too: “If it can be done elsewhere it can be done in Scotland.” |
The agreement has been available for 12 hours now and the DUP is still signalling that it will vote against. Lisa O’Carroll has this: | The agreement has been available for 12 hours now and the DUP is still signalling that it will vote against. Lisa O’Carroll has this: |
Jim Shannon DUP MP tells BBC Ulster he will "certainly" vote against the deal. And this could change to change of government? "Yeah, and we are up for election, we've never been afraid of elections" | Jim Shannon DUP MP tells BBC Ulster he will "certainly" vote against the deal. And this could change to change of government? "Yeah, and we are up for election, we've never been afraid of elections" |
Shailesh Vara’s resignation is being backed by fellow Brexiters in the Tory party. This from Steve Baker. | Shailesh Vara’s resignation is being backed by fellow Brexiters in the Tory party. This from Steve Baker. |
.@ShaileshVara is right. Many of us will not accept this dreadful deal https://t.co/lRzo3FRXcZ | .@ShaileshVara is right. Many of us will not accept this dreadful deal https://t.co/lRzo3FRXcZ |
And Zac Goldsmith said his resignation was “dignified and right”. | And Zac Goldsmith said his resignation was “dignified and right”. |
Dignified and right. https://t.co/i76oEzC0FC | Dignified and right. https://t.co/i76oEzC0FC |
Similarly Priti Patel has this: | Similarly Priti Patel has this: |
Principled & dignified. https://t.co/DOJdlep9cn | Principled & dignified. https://t.co/DOJdlep9cn |