The double resignations of British foreign secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit secretary David Davis have left European officials and diplomats puzzled and disappointed.



Europe’s capitals had hoped that the agreement reached by Theresa May at Chequers on Friday would have finally provided clarity on Britain’s negotiating position and marked a turning point in Brexit talks with the European Union after months of deadlock. Instead, they have been left wondering whether May will be in her job for much longer.

“We’re disappointed,” a European diplomat said. “We all want negotiations to succeed. We were all waiting for the white paper next week. Now we don’t know if she will be in position in two weeks.”

Davis’s resignation late on Sunday night had been interpreted as a bump in the road as May’s cabinet finally came together around a common position. But Johnson’s resignation on Monday has raised fears that the fragile consensus achieved just three days ago is already falling apart, the diplomat added.

News of Johnson’s resignation came as the presidents of the European Commission and Council were holding a press conference in Brussels with Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko. Informed of the news, Jean-Claude Juncker replied sarcastically that the resignation showed that May’s cabinet was clearly united around the Chequers plan.