Cambridgeshire politicians react to resignations of Boris Johnson and David Davis
Politicians in Cambridgeshire have been reacting to the resignations of brexit secretary David Davis and foreign secretary Boris Johnson.
Labour MEP Alex Mayer has accused the Government for lurching from"crisis to crisiswhile Cambridge Labour MP Daniel Zeichner said the growing divisions within the Conservative Party show"what a shambles brexit is".
Mr Johnson quit this afternoon (Monday, July 9) hours after Mr Davis resigned late on Sunday (July 8) - and shortly before Theresa May was due to address Parliament about her new brexit plan. Mr Davis has since been replaced by Dominic Raab, who has left his current role as housing minister to join the Department for Exiting the EU. He was
The departure of Mr Johnson, a prominent Leave campaigner during the 2016 referendum, will fuel speculation about a leadership challenge.
Mr Zeichner said:"All these divisions in the Conservative party show what a shambles brexit is - it's clear that the government's plans to leave the EU are still more full of questions than answers.
"It is becoming increasingly clear that we have so much more to lose through brexit than was originally understood two years ago during the referendum campaign, with many businesses and institutions speaking out about the importance of continued collaboration with the EU for jobs."
He added:"The Davis resignation shows that for the Tory brexiteers, crashing out of the EU is preferable to any kind of sensible compromise. It is time to go back to the country and let the people decide whether they are prepared to bear the cost of any more of this Tory brexit shambles."
The UK is due to leave the European Union on March 29, 2019, but the two sides have yet to agree how trade will work between the UK and the EU afterwards.
Ms Mayer said:"This government continues to lurch from crisis to crisis without any regard for the people of the UK.
"These resignations look less like principled stands on policy and more like the jockeying for position in the next Tory leadership contest.
"With only weeks until the deadline for EU negotiations these shenanigans show cabinet ministers are not thinking of the long term interests of this country but the short term interests of their careers."
Cambridge Stays chair Paul Browne issued a statement following Mr Davis resignation along with Brexit minister Steve Baker and Department for Exiting the European Union colleague Suella Braverman.
He said:"Last night's resignation by brexit secretary David Davis and two of his junior ministerial colleagues at the Department for Exiting the European Union from their posts confirms that there is no such thing as a good Brexit. There is no version of brexit that can both satisfy the ideologues who are driving brexit and protect the economic, social and political interests of the people of the UK.
"With less than nine months left until the UK leaves the EU, and continuing chaos at the heart of government, it is clear that the prospect of any brexit deal - let alone a good deal - is receding quickly. We support a People's Vote on Brexit: if the politicians won't act in the interests of the UK the people must have the opportunity to take us back from the cliff edge."
Mr Browne said that more than 200,000 people have signed a new petition to demand a People's Vote on the Brexit deal.
He added:"We believe that the best interests of the UK will be served by withdrawing our Article 50 notification and resuming our leadership role within the EU, where we will be in a far stronger position to protect our economy and influence the political decisions that will shape the world in the coming decades."
