Contact Us

"Brexit aims unknown": Britain's EU envoy

Britain's outgoing ambassador to the European Union said Prime Minister Theresa May's negotiating objectives for Brexit

Published January 04,2017
Subscribe

Britain's outgoing ambassador to the European Union said Prime Minister Theresa May's negotiating objectives for Brexit were unknown to her government's representatives in Brussels, the BBC reported.

In a letter to staff announcing his resignation less than three months before May triggers formal exit talks, Ivan Rogers said London lacked experienced negotiators and urged the team on the ground in Brussels to challenge muddled thinking.

"I hope you will continue to challenge ill-founded arguments and muddled thinking and that you will never be afraid to speak the truth to those in power," Rogers said in the letter, which was published in full by the BBC.

Beyond general comments about getting the best possible deal for Britain when it leaves the bloc, May has given little away about her negotiating aims, arguing that she did not want to weaken her position by showing all her cards.

Rogers suggested that even his former team, which will play a key role in the complex negotiations with the 27 other EU members, was in the dark about what the government wanted.

Reuters