Nick Clegg: EU ambassador’s resignation is “body blow to Brexit plans”

The UK’s ambassador to the EU has handed in his resignation, despite being expected to play a key role in Brexit negotiations later this year.

Sir Ivan Rogers has held the position since 2013, after being appointed by David Cameron. His resignation was unexpected, with the Foreign Office refusing to give a reason for his departure.

In a speech to staff on Tuesday, Sir Ivan said he had only brought forward his original departure date of November by a couple of months. However his resignation will come as a blow to Theresa May’s Brexit negotiations, with Sir Ivan one of the government’s most experienced negotiators.

In December information was leaked the BBC that Sir Ivan’s told May it could take until the early to mid-2020s for the EU to agree and ratify a strong trade deal with Britain, despite ministers assuring the public that negotiations would take just two years.

Former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg was quick to highlight the importance of Sir Ivan’s decision, saying that the resignation of “somebody as experienced as Sir Ivan Rogers is a body blow to the government’s Brexit plans”.