Boris Johnson's Brexit chief quits in body blow to UK Leader

The UK minister in charge of post-Brexit negotiations has resigned from Boris Johnson’s government, openly undermining the prime minister over both his negotiations with the European Union and his response to a surge in coronavirus cases.

In a strongly-worded resignation letter, David Frost said he was unhappy with Conservative Party policy. He didn’t like the current Brexit thinking and opposed anything that could look like another lockdown. 

“We also need to learn to live with Covid and I know that is your instinct too,” Frost wrote to Johnson. “I hope we can get back on track soon and not be tempted by the kind of coercive measures we have seen elsewhere.” 

It’s clear he and Johnson were at odds. Frost explained that he offered to quit a week ago and that the pair agreed he’d move on in January, but the Daily Mail’s report of his impending departure prompted him to quit the government immediately.  It’s bad timing for the embattled prime minister. The exit of a pivotal figure in his inner sphere comes on the heels of a series of scandals and political blows that have eroded Johnson’s authority and begged questions of how long he can hold to power. The Tories are at war with themselves over how to combat the rapid spread of the omicron variant. A growing libertarian faction is chafing over restrictions.

But UK infections are spiking and the government’s chief scientific advisers warning that cases in England could be running in the hundreds of thousands a day.