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Brexit Series: UK’s pension and work secretary resigns over Brexit agreement

Esther McVey, the UK’s secretary of work and pensions became the latest casualty to the draft agreement reached between the United Kingdom and the European Union. She became the third minister from Prime Minister Theresa May’s cabinet to submit resignation after a cabinet meeting over the draft agreement that was held yesterday. Earlier today, Shailesh Lakhman Vara, the minister of State at the North Ireland Office became the first person to quit since the agreement, followed by Brexit secretary Dominic Raab.

She posted her resignation letter in her Twitter account, which says, “There is no more important task for this Government than delivering on the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union. This is a matter of trust. It is about the future of our country and the integrity of our democracy…..The deal you put before the Cabinet yesterday does not honor the result of the referendum. Indeed, it doesn’t meet the tests you set from the outset of your premiership……Repeatedly you have said that we must regain control of our money, our borders and our laws and develop our own independent trade policy…….The proposal put before cabinet, which will soon be judged by the entire country, means handing over around £39 billion to the EU without anything in return. It will trap us in a customs union, despite you specifically promising the British people we would not be. It will bind the hand of not only this but future governments in pursuing genuine free trade policies. We wouldn’t be taking back control, we would be handing over control to the EU and even to a third country for arbitration……It also threatens the integrity of the United Kingdom”

 This is a clear sign that the domestic political trouble surrounding the Brexit agreement is far from over and it would not be easy for the Prime Minister to pass the agreement through the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

It is now very much likely that Prime Minister Theresa May would face challenges to her leadership and position as the Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, the Pound continues to trade with wild swings amid Brexit news. The pound is currently trading at 1.281 against the USD.

 

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