The British government received another blow this Sunday, announcing the resignation of the Secretary of State in charge of the Brexit portfolio. In a letter sent to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Frost said he was worried about the country’s “direction” in the face of tightening restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is Boris Johnson’s third setback in less than a week. after the uprising in his Conservative Partythe British Parliament, which prompted 99 MPs to vote against the new restrictions in England on Tuesday; and defeat torii in early elections, Thursday, in the North Shropshire circle, where the Tories have not won in just two in the past 189 years.
The resignation of Frost – one of the main architects of the British government’s exit strategy from the European Union – also influences the tone of negotiations between London and Brussels. on the Protocol for Ireland / Northern Ireland…
In a letter sent to Johnson, Frost said he was confident Brexit was guaranteed, but stressed his concerns about the country’s “direction”.
“You know I am concerned about the current direction of our trip,” Frost said in a letter published this Sunday by the UK government, hours after the newspaper’s release. Daily mail expected Frost to leave in January.
“I hope we can quickly achieve what we need: a weakly regulated, low-tax business economy at the forefront of modern science and economic change.”
Omicron variant
On Saturday night Daily mail he added that Frost’s resignation was prompted by the announcement of tightening restrictions over the Omicron option, but that this also reflects growing discontent with tax hikes and the cost of environmental policies.
“We have to learn to live with covid,” Frost said. “I hope we’ll be back on track soon and not be tempted by the coercive measures we have seen elsewhere.”
On Saturday, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, announced that the country will “close again”, in the “inevitable” solution of this “fifth wave, which should come with on the Omicron variant“.
The new conclusion begins this Sunday and will last until at least January 14, covering the entire period of Christmas and New Year. The decision entails the closure of schools, universities, restaurants, bars and all commercial establishments deemed immaterial, including gyms and hairdressers.
In recent days, UK Health Minister Sajid Javid has left open the possibility of further restrictions in the UK given the skyrocketing COVID-19 cases.
Although the complete vaccination rate exceeds 68%, entry into force of the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the country this has led to a sharp increase in the number of daily infections in recent weeks and is putting tremendous pressure on British health services.
As of Wednesday, 78,610 new cases were reported, a new high since January 8, 2021, when 68,053 cases were reported. On Saturday, 90,418 new infections were reported, of which more than 10,000 were infected with the Ómicron virus.
leadership in danger
Boris Johnson regretted Frost’s resignation and praised the work of the Secretary of State in charge of the Brexit portfolio.
Frost’s departure will be another blow to Johnson and will increase pressure from several Conservative MPs on the British Prime Minister to improve his leadership in the British government, otherwise his position will be called into question.
Johnson, who led the party to a clear victory in December 2019, faces the biggest crisis in his leadership over a series of scandals and mistakes that his critics say prove his inability to be prime minister, including video release where members of his team joke about an alleged 2020 Downing Street Christmas party during UK tough restrictions.
Frost’s presence in the British government as head of the Brexit portfolio was fundamental to Johnson’s support from supporters of leaving the European Union, who saw him as a guarantee that Britain did indeed intend to leave the European bloc.
