www.ft.com/content/273fb412-503f-11e7-a1f2-db19572361bb
Ministers leave UK Brexit department in sign of tension with May
Ministry in charge of EU departure faces shake-up days before talks start
Article about the sacking of the no2 and the resignation of the no3 at the department.
- David Davis, the Brexit secretary, was not warned of the sacking.
- Davis has recently lost his special adviser who got a better job in the private sector and his private secretary who lost his seat in the election.
- No2, Brexit Guy was replaced by a Remainer Baroness Anelay.
- The No3, George Bridges, who was in charge of pushing Brexit legislation through parliament, quit after falling out with May. Responsible for the fine detail of the 'Great' Car Crash Repeal Act.
- He had become convinced Brexit couldn't work and the idea of doing it with a Hung Parliament made it even worse. Just to repeat he quit the department and government completely (so no longer going to serve in the Lords).
- The departure of the no2 and no3 makes a difficult task even more difficult with negotiations starting next week
- Lucy Neville-Rolfe, who was in charge of overseeing Brexit’s impact on financial services, also left today
- Dominic Cummings saying this is the tip of the iceberg of Brexit Chaos and David Davis 'is total shambles & disaster likely'
- Bridges thought the Upper Chamber 'pretty much uncontrollable at the moment'
- The Leader of the WhatsApp group has now been appointed to the department which has eased the Creationist's anger at the sacking of the No2 Brexit Guy.
What was it May said? 'I got you into this mess, I'll get us out'?
Meanwhile in Brussels:
Jennifer Rankin*@JenniferMerode*
Michel Barnier met Olly Robbins and Tim Barrow on Monday and this is what happened...
The British diplomats asked to start technical talks led by civil servants, while gov sorts out itself/Queen's speech. Barnier said no. EU side want to ensure UK’s chief negotiator has a mandate from the British gov before formal talks can begin. EU wants reliable, accountable, chief negotiator with a mandate, but not sure they will get one.
Barnier told the British he was open to a number of start dates, listing various days of the week. Robbins and Barrow could not name a day. Barnier also spent some time explaining to the British the EU's preferred 4-week cycle for running the negotiations. Remember UK not done trade talks for decades. The EU has scores of people who specialise in international negotiations, not just trade.
British gov has not sent any details of its Brexit position to Brussels and no one knows what British really want now. Brussels not convinced British know what they want, seeing no clear mandate for Brexit. EU talks with Robbins/Barrow cordial, but Brussels think British gov still does not get Brexit.
Don’t believe talk of re-writing mandate in a year. There is no plan B/second mandate. May likes to say 'no deal is better than a bad deal'.
In Brussels people think 'for British any deal is better than a bad deal'.
Negotiations still going ahead as planned next week. Apparently. According to the British. The Brexit Plan has not changed. Apparently.
Is this because the Brexit Plan still doesn't exist and they are that incompetent Brexit is just crashing out without any plan at all because they are clueless?
THIS ^ is the worst description of heard of Brexshit so far.