[Brexit and the Conservative Party]: Conservative Party Brexit turmoil continues after resignation of Cabinet Ministers David Davis and Boris Johnson, July 2018

Author (Person)
Publisher
Series Title
Series Details July 2018
Publication Date 09/07/2018
Content Type ,

The United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May hosted a Cabinet away day at Chequers on the 6 July 2018 to discuss and collectively agree the UK’s detailed vision for a new EU-UK relationship after Britain's departure after March 2019.

Over the preceding months it had been difficult negotiating effectively with the EU partly due to the divergent views within the UK Cabinet and the Conservative Party on Brexit issues.

At the end of the 6 July 2018 Theresa May was able to announce that the Cabinet had agreed to a new position.

Commentators noted that Brexit-supporting Cabinet ministers did not like the deal agreed but no minister formally resigned in protest.

However from late on the 9 July 2018 a number of dramatic resignations of Brexit-supporting Ministers began.

David Davis, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, announced his resignation in a letter to the Prime Minister. He said that he could not be a 'reluctant conscript' to the plan agreed at Chequers, which he said was 'certainly not returning control of our laws in any real sense'. He went on to say the 'proposed policies will be to make the supposed control by Parliament illusory rather than real. ... the 'common rule book' policy hands control of large swathes of our economy to the EU and is certainly not returning control of our laws in any real sense'.

In response Theresa May said she did not 'not agree with your characterisation of the policy we agreed at Cabinet on Friday'.

Steve Baker, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union, also resigned.

Dominic Raab, a pro-Brexit Minister, was appointed as Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on 9 July 2018.

On the afternoon of the 9 July 2018 the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also resigned.

In his resignation letter Boris Johnson said the described the 'Brexit dream' was 'dying, suffocated by needless self-doubt'. He also suggested that the plan agreed by the Cabinet on the 6 July 2018 meant that the UK was 'truly headed for the status of colony'.

Jeremy Hunt was announced as the new Foreign Secretary.

Theresa May defended the agreement of the 6 July 2018 and her own position as leader of the Conservative Government both in the House of Commons and to a meeting of Conservative Party backbenchers. Commentators suggested that a leadership challenge to Theresa May was possible.

Further less high-profile resignations within the Conservative Government and Party took place in the following days, adding to the pressure on Theresa May.

Following on from the decisions made at the Chequers meeting the UK Government published on the 12 July 2018 a White Paper The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union.

Theresa May was forced to keep up her defence of her proposals from attacks by both Leave and Remain Conservatives. For example, the former Minister and Remain supporting Justine Greening, MP, called in a newspaper article on the 16 July 2018 for the holding of a second referendum to allow the public to have a say on the proposed Brexit deals.

A particular focus of the week beginning the 16 July 2018 were amendments proposed in the House of Commons to aspects of the Taxation (Cross Border Trade) Bill (sometimes called the Customs Bill), and the Trade Bill. Some of the amendments proposed on staying in the Customs Union with the EU, while others proposed joining a Customs Union with the EU.

Source Link http://www.europeansources.info/
Related Links
ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/
BBC News, 09.07.18: Brexit Secretary David Davis resigns https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44761056
Conservative Home, 09.07.18: May’s response to Davis: 'I do not agree with your characterisation of the policy we agreed at Cabinet on Friday' https://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2018/07/mays-response-to-davis-i-do-not-agree-with-your-characterisation-of-the-policy-we-agreed-at-cabinet-on-friday.html
Conservative Home, 09.07.18: The Brexit Secretary’s resignation letter: I have become 'a reluctant conscript' not 'an enthusiastic believer in your approach' https://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2018/07/daviss-resignation-letter-i-have-become-a-reluctant-conscript-not-an-enthusiastic-believer-in-your-approach.html
The Guardian, 09.07.18: Brexit secretary David Davis resigns plunging government into crisis https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/08/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary-reports-say
EurActiv, 09.07.18: Boris Johnson resigns as Brexiteers start to tumble https://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/boris-johnson-resigns-as-brexiteers-start-to-tumble/
BBC News, 07.07.18: [Analysis]: Brexit: Tory tensions still profound despite cabinet deal https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44751167
The UK in a Changing Europe, 09.07.18: David Davis’ departure from government today has caused ripples in Theresa May’s Brexit plans http://ukandeu.ac.uk/david-davis-departure-from-government-today-has-caused-ripples-in-theresa-mays-brexit-plans/
Conservative Home, 09.07.18: 'Brexit should be about opportunity and hope' – Johnson’s resignation letter https://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2018/07/brexit-should-be-about-opportunity-and-hope-johnsons-resignation-letter.html
Conservative Home, 09.07.18: Heaton-Harris and Malthouse promoted to replace Baker and Raab https://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2018/07/heaton-harris-and-malthouse-promoted-to-replace-baker-and-raab.html
EUObserver, 09.07.18: EU stays calm as two top UK ministers quit https://euobserver.com/uk-referendum/142322
Politico, 09.07.18: Boris Johnson resigns, escalating London conflict over Brexit https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-resigns/
ESO: Find more information in ESO on the Conservative Party and Brexit after the referendum http://www.europeansources.info/advSearchLink?keyword=brexit%20after%20conservative%20party%20&searchOption=all
BBC News, 18.07.18: Theresa May prepares for a grilling from MPs https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44867977
UK: Parliament: Hansard: House of Commons: Business, 09.07.18: Leaving the EU https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-07-09/debates/DFF149CD-3762-4293-82A3-ED03A0BA48D5/LeavingTheEU
Conservative Home, 10.07.18: Henry Newman: May’s strategy is in crisis – continuing to exclude the Brexit Secretary from the process will only make that worse https://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2018/07/henry-newman-mays-strategy-is-in-crisis-continuing-to-exclude-the-brexit-secretary-from-the-process-will-only-make-that-worse.html
The Conversation, 10.07.18: Theresa May’s Brexit crisis: how to oust a Tory leader https://theconversation.com/theresa-mays-brexit-crisis-how-to-oust-a-tory-leader-99704
EurActiv 13.07.18: Trump blasts May’s ‘soft’ Brexit plan, says Boris Johnson would be ‘great prime minister’ https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/trump-blasts-mays-soft-brexit-plan-says-boris-johnson-would-be-great-prime-minister/
Conservative Home, 13.07.18: Nothing has changed? Come off it. The Prime Minister is treating voters and MPs like fools. https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2018/07/nothing-has-changed-come-off-it-the-prime-minister-is-treating-voters-and-mps-like-fools.html
The Conversation, 10.07.18: Boris Johnson’s record as foreign secretary is stained by litany of blunders and poor diplomacy https://theconversation.com/boris-johnsons-record-as-foreign-secretary-is-stained-by-litany-of-blunders-and-poor-diplomacy-99649
The UK in a Changing Europe, 10.07.18: How not to be Brexit secretary: five pieces of advice for Dominic Raab http://ukandeu.ac.uk/how-not-to-be-brexit-secretary-five-pieces-of-advice-for-dominic-raab/?platform=hootsuite
BBC News, 10.07.18: Tory vice-chairs quit over PM's Brexit plan https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44785797
BBC News, 16.07.18: Justine Greening's call for new Brexit referendum rejected by No 10 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44840154
The Guardian, 16.07.18: Theresa May ready to cave in to hardline Brexiters' demands https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/16/theresa-may-ready-cave-in-hardline-brexiters-customs-demands
Conservative Home 16.07.18: Grassroots rebellion – Downing Street is starting to realise the scale of Tory opposition to the Chequers plan https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2018/07/grassroots-rebellion-downing-street-is-starting-to-realise-the-scale-of-tory-opposition-to-the-chequers-plan.html
The Guardian, 17.07.18: May narrowly heads off defeat after caving in to Brexit hardliners https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/16/theresa-may-narrowly-avoids-defeat-after-caving-in-to-rees-mogg
Conservative Home, 17.07.18: The first Remain Minister resigns since the new Brexit policy’s announcement. Bebb quits to vote against the ERG https://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2018/07/the-first-remain-minister-resigns-since-the-new-brexit-policys-announcement-bebb-quits-to-vote-against-the-erg.html
Politico, 16-17.07.18: Theresa May narrowly avoids House of Commons defeat as Tory split worsens https://www.politico.eu/article/theresa-may-caves-in-on-brexiteer-amendments-to-head-off-rebellion/
CAPX, 18.07.18: Parliament’s summer break can’t come soon enough https://capx.co/parliaments-summer-break-cant-come-soon-enough/

Countries / Regions