This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/nov/15/dominic-raab-quits-as-brexit-secretary-over-eu-withdrawal-deal
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Dominic Raab quits as Brexit secretary over withdrawal deal | Dominic Raab quits as Brexit secretary over withdrawal deal |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Dominic Raab has resigned as Brexit secretary, saying he “cannot in good conscience” support the deal agreed by cabinet, plunging Theresa May’s Brexit plans into confusion. | Dominic Raab has resigned as Brexit secretary, saying he “cannot in good conscience” support the deal agreed by cabinet, plunging Theresa May’s Brexit plans into confusion. |
| The departure of Raab, seen as a crucial figure in May’s attempts to sell her proposed deal to other Brexit-minded Tory MPs, follows the resignation earlier on Thursday of the junior Northern Ireland minister, Shailesh Vara. | The departure of Raab, seen as a crucial figure in May’s attempts to sell her proposed deal to other Brexit-minded Tory MPs, follows the resignation earlier on Thursday of the junior Northern Ireland minister, Shailesh Vara. |
| In his resignation letter Raab said the proposed arrangement to avoid a border with Northern Ireland through a backstop arrangement is a “very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom”. | In his resignation letter Raab said the proposed arrangement to avoid a border with Northern Ireland through a backstop arrangement is a “very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom”. |
| He added: “I cannot support an indefinite backstop arrangement where the EU holds a veto over our ability to exit.” | He added: “I cannot support an indefinite backstop arrangement where the EU holds a veto over our ability to exit.” |
| He claimed the arrangement negotiated with the EU’s Michel Barnier, amounted to a “hybrid of the EU customs union and single market obligations”. | He claimed the arrangement negotiated with the EU’s Michel Barnier, amounted to a “hybrid of the EU customs union and single market obligations”. |
| Raab wrote: “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 exit the arrangement.” | Raab wrote: “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 exit the arrangement.” |
| There will be concerns at No 10 that Raab’s departure could be the first of a number of cabinet resignations, after Wednesday’s stormy five-hour meeting, during which a string of senior ministers raise objections to May’s Brexit deal. | |
| Others who were particularly unhappy include Esther McVey, the work and pensions secretary, who twice called for a vote to be taken and, according to one source, was “shouted down” by the cabinet secretary, Sir Mark Sedwill. The international development secretary, Penny Mordaunt, has also publicly voiced reservations in recent days. | |
| The Brexit secretary’s departure came an hour-and-a-half before Theresa May is due in the Commons to sell her EU divorce deal to largely sceptical MPs. | |
| Raab had been at the heart of the Brexit negotiations, and he was the first minister that May discussed the final deal with on Tuesday lunchtime, where it had been agreed that the text achieved was the best available and should be put to cabinet. | |
| A string of hard Brexit Conservatives, who will be emboldened by Raab’s departure, have voiced concerns about the plan and have said they will vote it down when it comes before MPs for ratification next month. | |
| 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 | 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 |
| Raab’s letter ended: “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.” | “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.” |
| Anna Soubry, the remain-backing Tory MP, tweeted: “Raab’s resignation marks the end of PM’s withdrawal agreement. This is v serious, the PM will clearly be considering her position.” | Anna Soubry, the remain-backing Tory MP, tweeted: “Raab’s resignation marks the end of PM’s withdrawal agreement. This is v serious, the PM will clearly be considering her position.” |
| Jon Trickett, Labour’s shadow Cabinet Office minister, said: “The government is falling apart before our eyes as for a second time the Brexit secretary has refused to back the prime minister’s Brexit plan. This so-called deal has unravelled before our eyes.” | Jon Trickett, Labour’s shadow Cabinet Office minister, said: “The government is falling apart before our eyes as for a second time the Brexit secretary has refused to back the prime minister’s Brexit plan. This so-called deal has unravelled before our eyes.” |
| Raab is the second Brexit secretary May has lost in a matter of months – Raab took over the job after David Davis resigned in July in protest at May’s course of action. At that time Boris Johnson also resigned as foreign secretary. | |
| Brexit | Brexit |
| Dominic Raab | Dominic Raab |
| Foreign policy | Foreign policy |
| Theresa May | Theresa May |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |