For reasons we will never know, or understand, Tory Mark Francois , a prominent Brexiteer, has sent a letter to Michel Barnier.
One of the stand out lines in his letter is “it is possible you may have heard of us” and I bet most of the people in the EU wish they never had. It seems a fairly pointless letter which is likely to wind up Remainers rather than change the decisions making in brussels.
Francois says the UK has no intention of accepting EU proposals on fisheries policy, or the level playing field.
“I refer you to the Concervative Party’s 2019 Manifesto – which I and all my colleagues stood on late last year – which made clear to the British people that we would have ‘a new relationship based on free trade and friendly cooperation, not on the EU’s Treaties or EU laws’,” he wrote.
“In the spirit of honesty between friends,” he added, “there can be no way that the European Court of Justice can be allowed to have any role in the UK’s national life after the end of this year.”
Brexit negotiator
His letter comes as Boris Johnson faces criticism after appointing his top Brexit negotiator as the new national security adviser.
Downing Street defended the appointment of Boris Johnson’ chief EU negotiator to the key post of national security adviser (NSA).
The Prime Minister faced criticism that unlike previous holders of the post, David Frost is a political adviser rather than a career civil servant, and lacks security experience.
He will replace Sir Mark Sedwill, who is also stepping down as Cabinet Secretary and head of the Civil Service, amid reports of clashes with Mr Johnson’s chief adviser, Dominic Cummings.
The former cabinet secretary Lord O’Donnell warned that political appointees were more likely to be “yes-men” – telling ministers what they wanted to hear rather than “speaking truth to power”.
But Mark is backing Frost 100% but some people didn’t take to his letter…
Here are some of the best reactions.
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Related – No 10 defends choice of political adviser for key national security role
