I think it was regrettable that David Cameron resigned after the Brexit vote, having indicated he would see the change in legislation through. Unfortunately, his successor PM Theresa May’s heart was not really in tune with Brexit. David Davis, the Brexit Minister appeared to adopt an abrasive stance towards the negotiations. Sir Ivan Rogers, the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the European Union, ‘threw his toys out of his pram’, wrote an email to his civil servant colleagues, protesting that he was profoundly against the idea of Brexit and resigned. I thought that was reprehensible behaviour. A Civil Servant’s job is to proffer advice to the Government of the day. If the Government rejects the advice, it is their job to deliver its policy. Sir Olly Robbins, another high-flying civil servant mandarin gave the impression of being equally disenchanted with the idea. Michel Barnier proved an obstinate customer to deal with – obviously under orders from Merkel, Macron, Tusk, Uncle Tom Cobley and all. So three years were wasted with unsatisfactory negotiations.
