LONDON (AP) — The Latest on Brexit (all times local): 3:15 p.m. Top European Union officials say Brexit is becoming a mess for Europe…
LONDON (AP) — The Latest on Brexit (all times local):
3:15 p.m.
Top European Union officials say Brexit is becoming a mess for Europe following the resignations of the U. K.’s chief Brexit negotiator and foreign secretary.
Britain’s Brexit secretary, David Davis quit late Sunday and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson submitted his resignation on Monday.
European Council President Donald Tusk said Monday that it is unfortunate that the whole «idea of Brexit has not left together with David Davis.»
Tusk added: «The mess caused by Brexit is the biggest problem in the history of EU-UK relations and it is still very far from being resolved, with or without Mr. Davis.»
Asked about his reaction to Johnson’s resignation, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said sarcastically that «this clearly proves that at Chequers, there was unity in the cabinet.»
Juncker’s remarks were a reference to a 12-hour British Cabinet meeting at Prime Minister Theresa May’s country residence on Friday that was supposed to have resolved internal disagreement over Brexit.
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3:00 p.m.
The British government says Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has resigned, amid a widening split in the Cabinet over Brexit.
Prime Minister Theresa May’s office said May accepted the resignation on Monday and will announce a replacement soon.
A leader of the campaign to take Britain out of the European Union, Johnson was under pressure to act after the resignation of David Davis as Brexit secretary.
Davis quit late Sunday saying he could not support May’s plans for close trade and regulatory ties with the bloc after the U. K. leaves the European Union next year.
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2:55 p.m.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has not arrived at an international meeting in London, fueling speculation that he plans to resign over differences with Prime Minister Theresa May on Brexit.
Johnson was due to host the Western Balkans Summit on Monday. But German Minister of State for Europe Michael Roth tweeted that by early afternoon «We’re still waiting for our host…»
Johnson is scheduled to hold a news conference at the summit later.
A leader of the campaign to take Britain out of the European Union, Johnson is under pressure to act after the resignation of David Davis as Brexit secretary.
Davis quit late Sunday saying he could not support May’s plans for close trade and regulatory ties with the bloc after the U. K. leaves the European Union next year.
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11:55 a.m.
British Prime Minister Theresa May’s office insists the government’s plans for leaving the European Union are on track despite the resignation of the top official in the Brexit department.
David Davis resigned as Brexit secretary late Sunday, saying he couldn’t support proposals to maintain close trade and regulatory ties with the EU.
Davis was replaced Monday with Dominic Raab, a lawmaker who strongly supports Britain’s EU exit.
Davis’s resignation shattered a fragile peace in May’s government, which is split between supporters of «hard» and «soft» Brexit. Britain is due to leave the EU in March.
May’s official spokesman, James Slack, says «we need to move forward at pace in these negotiations, and that’s what we are going to do.»
He says «there is now a new secretary of state and we look forward to moving on.»
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11:30 a.m.
The European Union says it will push on with Brexit talks despite the resignation of Britain’s chief negotiator, and is ready to work with his replacement.
European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas says Monday that «we will continue to negotiate in good will, bona fide, with Prime Minister Theresa May and the UK government negotiators in order to reach a deal.»
Asked whether the appointment of Dominic Raab would affect the negotiations, Schinas said it mattered for Britain but not necessarily the EU: «What matters for us is the negotiating framework that our 27 member states have set for us.»
He said EU negotiators stand ready to work through the summer if needed to reach an agreement. Britain officially leaves the EU at midnight on March 29 next year.
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11:15 a.m.
The German government says it’s confident the British government can continue to act on Brexit despite the resignation of the minister tasked with the job of negotiating with the European Union.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Rainer Breul said Monday that while Germany doesn’t generally comment on foreign Cabinet reshuffles, «we have no doubt the British side remains capable of acting» on Brexit.
Britain’s Brexit minister, David Davis, quit late Sunday, two days after Prime Minister Theresa May announced she had united her quarrelsome government behind a plan for a divorce deal with the EU.
Separately, German government spokeswoman Martina Fietz downplayed talk of discord on Brexit between Chancellor Angela Merkel and her top security official. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer had warned last week of security risks when Britain leaves the EU.
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10:40 a.m.
Britain’s government has named former Housing Minister Dominic Raab to take up the post of senior official in charge of negotiating the country’s exit from the European Union, after his predecessor resigned.
Prime Minister Theresa May’s office announced the appointment in a Monday statement. Raab, a Brexit supporter, follows David Davis, who had accused May of undermining Brexit with her plan to keep close trade ties with the bloc.
Davis quit just two days after May announced she had finally united her quarrelsome government behind a plan for a divorce deal with the EU.
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10:30 a.m.
The European Parliament’s chief Brexit official is urging Britain to look beyond the departure of its chief negotiator and move forward quickly to clinch a deal with the EU.
Guy Verhofstadt said that «it is in the interest of the both that we move the negotiations forward.»
Verhofstadt hopes «the UK unites around a position to conclude a broad Association Agreement with the EU.»
In a blow to the British government, Davis quit late Sunday, saying he could not support Prime Minister Theresa May’s plan for close trade and regulatory ties with the EU after Brexit next year.
