British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson resigns: Downing St

By : AFP

Date: 9 July 2018 5:10pm WAT

FILES-BRITAIN-EU-POLITICS-BREXIT-JOHNSON

(FILES) In this file photo taken on March 27, 2018 Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street in central London after attending the weekly meeting of the Cabinet. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has resigned, Downing Street said in a statement on July 9, 2018, hours after Brexit minister David Davis stepped down. / AFP PHOTO / Tolga AKMEN

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson resigned on Monday in a major blow for Prime Minister Theresa May, hours after her Brexit minister stepped down over her plans for leaving the EU.

“This afternoon, the Prime Minister accepted the resignation of Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary,” May’s Downing Street office said in a statement.

“His replacement will be announced shortly. The prime minister thanks Boris for his work,” the statement said.
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In private, Johnson had reportedly criticised May’s plan for retaining strong economic ties to the EU even after Brexit, referring to the plan as “polishing a turd”.

Since cabinet approval for the plan on Friday, however, he had refrained from public comment.