Fail to deliver on Brexit causing collapse of Conservatives – ex Housing Minister resigns

I am sure that not many people will even know who the current housing minister is today (Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP), though it is the reluctance of Prime Minister May to carry out Brexit which is causing descent amongst the ranks. With more shifty underhand dealings than a dodgy poker player from May it would appear, Brexit in name only is not what the doctor ordered as resignation letters start to pour in.

Ex housing minister Dominic Raab resigns via Twitter in protest to the current dealings with Brexit and in respect to those who voted leave.

His letter in full reads:

Dear Prime Minister,

It’s been an honour to serve in your government as Justice Minister, Housing Minister and Brexit Secretary.

I regret to say that following the Cabinet meeting yesterday on the Brexit deal, I must resign. I understand why you have chosen to pursue the deal with the EU on the terms proposed, and I respect the different views held in good faith by all of our colleagues.

For my part, I cannot support the proposed deal for two reasons. First, I believe that the regulatory regime proposed for Northern Ireland presents a very real threat to the integrity of the United Kingdom.

Second, I cannot support an indefinite backstop arrangement, where the EU holds a veto over our ability to exit. The terms of the backstop amount to a hybrid of the EU customs union and single market obligations. No democratic nation has ever signed up to be bound by such an extensive regime, imposed externally without any democratic control over the laws to be applied, nor the ability to decide the exit arrangement. That arrangement is now also taken as the starting point for negotiating the future economic partnership. If we accept that, it will severely prejudice the second phase of negotiations against the UK.

Above all, I cannot reconcile the terms of the proposed deal with the promises we made to the country in our manifesto at the last election. This is, at its heart, a matter of public trust.

I appreciate that you disagree with my judgement on these issues. I have weighed very carefully the alternative course of action which the government could take, on which I have previously advised. Ultimately you deserve a Brexit Secretary who can make the case for the deal you are pursuing with conviction. I am only sorry, in good conscience, that I cannot.

My respect for you and the fortitude you have shown in difficult times remains undimmed.

Yours sincerely

Dominic Raab

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Rightmove logo
Breaking News

North-South divide for time to move as Londoners see longest wait

New analysis reveals a north-south divide in the time it takes to move home: In London it takes 174 days on average to go from agreeing a sale to completing a move, whereas it takes 141 days in the North East Scotland is the fastest part of Great Britain at 98 days, due to the…
Read More
Letting Agent Talk

Dispelling the top five biggest letting agent myths

By Sophie Danes, Group Director of Property Management, Lomond   This year has seen the introduction of the seismic Renters’ Rights Act (RRA) as well as other changes affecting the private rented sector (PRS) coming into force, such as the rollout of Making Tax Digital (MTD). As a result, more than ever before, there is…
Read More
bank of england interest rate
Breaking News

Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75%

Colleen Babcock, property expert at Rightmove says: “There’s stability for now as the Bank of England holds its Base Rate as widely expected. We’ve seen average mortgage rates increase over the last few weeks as geopolitical tensions have escalated, and the average two-year fixed rate is currently coming it at 5.11%. For broader context, this…
Read More
New Builds 2020
Breaking News

Average new-build value to surpass £400,000

The latest research from UK Property Development has found that the average price of a new-build home in England is on course to exceed £400,000 by 2027, having risen steadily over the last decade alongside sustained growth across the wider British market. The research analysed average new-build house price data across Great Britain and its…
Read More
Breaking News

Money and Credit – June 2026

These monthly statistics on the amount of, and interest rates on, borrowing and deposits by households and businesses are used by the Bank’s policy committees to understand economic trends and developments in the UK banking system. Key points: Net borrowing of mortgage debt by individuals increased to £7.7 billion in June, from £3.3 billion in…
Read More
Breaking News

Price of a sea-view home up 27% since 2019

The average asking price for a home with a sea-view in Great Britain is £298,810, up from £235,635 in 2019 (+27%) Average sea-view asking prices have risen by more than 50% since 2019 in both the East Midlands and Yorkshire & The Humber The South East remains the most expensive region for a sea-view home…
Read More