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Boris Johnson resigns in major Brexit blow to UK PM Theresa May

London (CNN)The government of British Prime Minister Theresa May has been plunged into turmoil with the resignation of two senior Cabinet ministers, exposing a deep and perilous split over her Brexit strategy.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson quit on Monday, saying in his resignation letter that the Brexit "dream is dying, suffocated by needless self-doubt." His departure followed the resignation late Sunday night of the minister in charge of Brexit negotiations, David Davis. A third member of the government, Steve Baker, a junior minister in Davis' Department for Exiting the European Union, also resigned.

Only three days ago, May appeared to have agreed on a deal with her fractured Cabinet on the UK's post-Brexit relationship with the EU. That plan is now in tatters and her political future appears uncertain.

In his resignation letter, Johnson savaged May's strategy, accusing her of allowing an optimistic Brexit vision to become clouded by a failure of ambition. In what amounted to a declaration of political war, Johnson said May's vision of a close future relationship with the EU would confine the UK to a "status of colony" and amounted merely to a "semi-Brexit."

The Prime Minister said she was "sorry and a little surprised" over Johnson's resignation, after "productive discussions" on Friday.

"As we developed our policy on Brexit, I have allowed Cabinet colleagues considerable latitude to express their views," she said in her letter of response to him. "But the agreement we reached on Friday marks the point where that is no longer the case, and if you are not able to provide the support we need to secure this deal in the interests of the United Kingdom, it is right that you should step down."

May appeared in Parliament earlier on Monday afternoon to defend her plan, minutes after Downing Street confirmed the departure of Johnson. In her statement to members of Parliament, May acknowledged the splits in her government and the departures of her ministers. "We do not agree about the best way of delivering our shared commitment to honoring the result of the referendum."

May acted quickly to replace the ministers. Dominic Raab, the former minister of state for housing and planning, was named the new Brexit secretary. He pledged to secure the "best deal with our EU friends and partners" for the UK. He also said he will "step up the preparations for 'no deal' in case the spirit of pragmatism and compromise that we have extended is not reciprocated."

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt was named the new UK foreign secretary on Monday, according to a tweet from 10 Downing Street. A longtime ally of May, he campaigned for remain but now says he supports Brexit.

In her statement to Parliament, May attempted to give an impression of business as usual. She said she would present a detailed paper on Thursday on the government's negotiating position for a post-Brexit relationship with the EU.

But in reality, she will be at the mercy of her party. Leading proponents of Brexit called on her to abandon the deal struck with the Cabinet last Friday at Chequers, her country retreat outside London.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, who leads a bloc of Brexit-supporting Conservative MPs in Parliament, urged May to give up on the plan. "What the Prime Minister needs to do is to give up on the Chequers proposal ... which does not actually deliver Brexit," he told LBC Radio.

If she refuses to change course, she could face a leadership challenge. Under Conservative Party rules, a leadership race could be triggered if at least 48 of her MPs declared their support for one. There was feverish speculation on Monday about May's prospects.

Johnson’s career has seen its fair share of resignations. But reincarnations, too. Shortly after he pulled out of the Tory leadership contest in 2016, Michael Gove’s knife still buried deep in his back, a veteran MP confided: “I’ve spent my whole career writing off Boris Johnson. One thing I’ve learned is not to do that.”

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... -secretary

Could we see Boris as PM?

Donald Trump hailed Boris Johnson as a future prime minister, accused the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, of doing “a bad job” on terrorism and said there had been too much immigration in Europe in an incendiary interview that raised questions about the decision to invite him to Britain.

A day before the US president was due to have bilateral talks with Theresa May, Trump used an interview with the Rupert Murdoch-owned Sun to endorse her principal Tory rival just days after he resigned from the cabinet in protest at her Brexit policy.

Trump described Johnson as “a very talented guy” for whom he had “a lot of respect”. He claimed he was not trying to pit Johnson against his host, but added: “I am just saying I think he would be a great prime minister. I think he’s got what it takes.”