#Brexit - David Davis resigns from government in wake of Chequers agreement

The UK's Secretary of State for Leaving the EU, David Davis, resigned just before midnight yesterday (8 July). The resignation came just two days after the government presented its first attempt at a unified position and less than four months before the October summit where the Withdrawal and Transitional Agreement needs to be agreed, in order to reach the 'orderly' Brexit that the EU is hoping for, writes Catherine Feore. 

Prime Minister Theresa May was tabled to speak to Conservative MPs about the agreement reached at Chequers - the PM's country residence - today (9 July). This will now be replaced by feverish speculation on who will replace Davis and there may likely be a leadership challenge to the prime minister through the Conservative Party's 1922 Committee, spearheaded by the European Research Groups 60 MPs, led by Old Etonian 'Hard Brexiteer' Jacob Rees-Mogg. Conservative Party rules dictate that only 15% of Conservative MPs are need to launch such a challenge.  

'Reluctant conscript' 

Davis boasted before the referendum that he anticipated trade deals with Germany and others to emerge within months. These views illustrated a profound ignorance of how the EU works – especially in relation to trade – an issue that had motivated Davis's Euroscepticism for more than twenty years. A steep learning curve lay ahead. 

Davis's reluctance to engage and to immerse himself in the detail frustrated Olly Robbins, the chief British mandarin, who was moved to No 10 by May. From this point on it appears that May had taken back control of the negotiations with the EU, if not yet of her own party. 

In his resignation letter Davis claims he was undermined on a number of issues, including the sequencing of negotiations, a horse that had already bolted with the triggering of Article 50. This was an issue that he said would be the main debate of summer 2017 last year, but it turned out to be the dog that never barked. The Commission's sequencing was accepted. He said that he disagreed with the language on Northern Ireland in December's Joint Report and the failure to publish the White Paper that is expected in the coming days earlier this year.  

While the full unexpurgated detail of the Chequers agreement has not yet emerged, the common position of the cabinet was no guarantee that the proposals would be acceptable to the EU-27. Davis, perhaps correctly, was 'unpersuaded' that the new approach would not "just lead to further demands for concessions". The EU negotiators have been consistent in resisting any dilution of the integrity of the Single Market. 

Davis takes junior Brexit Minister Steve Baker MP with him. Baker was a key organizer of the Vote Leave campaign who was implicated in the illegal spending scandal; in an email, he claimed: "Vote Leave will be able to spend as much money as is necessary to win the referendum.”  

Theresa May has already replied to Davis's letter. She writes that the government position is consistent with the mandate of the referendum. On the thorniest issue, the UK's compliance with "the common rulebook", May argues that while the UK will subscribe to EU rules, this will be approved by "our sovereign parliament" on each occasion. Where the Brexiteers are right is that this sovereignty would in some ways be illusory as it would be an absolute requirement of maintaining access. Manufacturers have repeatedly made the case for access, it is also illusory to think that they will establish different production lines, with different norms. The debate is academic, but if May's course is is diverted the UK will find itself in a hard collision with reality.