A new Task Force Europe, reporting direct to Boris Johnson, is to take over responsibility for negotiations with the EU after Brexit day on Friday, Downing Street has announced.
The 40-strong unit will be led by Mr Johnson’s chief negotiator David Frost, with staff drawn from across Whitehall, including deputies from the Treasury and Foreign Office.
The Department for Exiting the EU (Dexeu) – established by Theresa May in 2016 to conduct negotiations on the UK’s withdrawal from the EU – will cease to exist at 11pm on Friday, when the UK formally leaves the bloc.
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And the Brexit secretary, Stephen Barclay, and his ministers James Duddridge and Lord Callanan will lose their ministerial jobs as the clock strikes 11.
Mr Barclay will be hoping to be restored to the cabinet in a new role when Mr Johnson conducts the reshuffle of his top ministerial team expected in February.
No ministerial changes are understood to be planned over the weekend, but Downing Street sources declined to say whether the reshuffle could come in time for Mr Barclay to attend the first scheduled cabinet meeting after Brexit on Tuesday next week.
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24/76 Protesters push a float depicting Dominic Cummings using Boris Johnson as a puppet during the Final Say Brexit march in London
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25/76 EU supporters react after the result of the vote on the deal delay was announced at the House of Commons
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29/76 Protesters march towards Parliament Square
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30/76 Anti-Brexit demonstrators carry placards and EU flags
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31/76 Sir Oliver Letwin MP in Parliament Square, London, during an an anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard rally, after it was announced that the Letwin amendment, which seeks to avoid a no-deal Brexit on October 31, has been accepted
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32/76 Thousands of people taking part in a People’s Vote march
UK BROADCASTERS POOL/AFP via Get
33/76 A protester with “Bollocks to Brexit” stickers on his head
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34/76 Demonstrators march
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35/76 Britain’s main opposition Labour Party shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the EU Keir Starmer, shadow Home Secretary Dianne Abbott, shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer John McDonnell, shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry speaks on stage in Parliament Square
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36/76 Anti-Brexit supporters cheer outside parliament
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37/76 A EU supporter waves flags
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38/76 Anti-Brexit supporters
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39/76 Protesters shout and chant demanding a final say
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40/76 Police look towards protesters
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41/76 Pro-Brexit protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in London
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42/76 People taking part in an Anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard march head to Parliament Square in London
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43/76 People taking part in an Anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard march in Trafalgar Square
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44/76 Anti-Brexit supporters cheer outside parliament
AP
45/76 People taking part in an Anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard march past Trafalgar Square
PA
46/76 Protesters shout and chant
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47/76 Cory (7) sits on his father’s shoulders as protesters march towards Parliament Square
Getty
48/76 People attend the ‘Together for the Final Say’ march
EPA
49/76 Protesters march towards Parliament Square
Getty Images
50/76 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks on stage
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51/76 A woman in EU costume
EPA
52/76 Anti-Brexit protesters fill Parliament Square in London
PA
53/76 Anti-Brexit protesters
AP
54/76 Anti-Brexit protesters hold an Independent banner
Angela Christofilou/The Independent
55/76 Protesters hold an anti-Brexit placard by The Independent stall during the Final Say Brexit march in London
Tom Richell
56/76 Anti-Brexit protesters in Parliament Square, London,
PA
57/76 Demonstrators hold placards and EU flags
AFP/Getty
58/76 An anti-Brexit protester joins in the Final Say Brexit march on 19 October
AP
59/76 EU supporters march in London
REUTERS
60/76 Sir Patrick Stewart and Paul McGann join in the Final Say Brexit march in London on 19 October
PA
61/76 EU supporters march
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62/76 A demonstrator shouts into a megaphone as she marches
AFP via Getty Images
63/76 A dog dressed in an anti-Brexit placard is walked in the Final Say Brexit march in London
EPA
64/76 EU supporters march
REUTERS
65/76 A morris dancer takes part in the Final Say Brexit march in London
PA
66/76 Whippets are dressed in EU flag clothing during the Final Say Brexit march in London
AP
67/76 Protesters march towards parliament in the Final Say Brexit march in London on 19 October 2019
PA
68/76 An anti-Brexit demonstrator takes part in the Final Say Brexit march in London
AFP/Getty
69/76 EU supporters call on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal
Reuters
70/76 Anti-Brexit protesters
Angela Christofilou/The Independent
71/76 An anti-Brexit protester
Angela Christofilou/The Independent
72/76 Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate in London during the Final Say Brexit march on 19 October
AP
73/76 Protesters push a float depicting Dominic Cummings using Boris Johnson as a puppet during the Final Say Brexit march in London
AFP/Getty
74/76 Protesters march towards parliament from Park Lane in the Final Say Brexit march in London on 19 October 2019
PA
75/76 Marchers visit The Independent stall during the Final Say March in London
Tom Richell
76/76 An anti-Brexit protester holds a sign calling for a Final Say during a march in London
EPA
1/76 Crowds march through central London
Getty
2/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
3/76 Protesters gather in Parliament Square
Led By Donkeys
4/76 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan joins protesters
PA
5/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
6/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
7/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
8/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
9/76 Anti-Brexit protesters fill Parliament Square in London
PA
10/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
11/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
12/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
13/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
14/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
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16/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
17/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
18/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
19/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
20/76 A demonstrator marches
EPA
21/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
22/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
23/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent
24/76 Protesters push a float depicting Dominic Cummings using Boris Johnson as a puppet during the Final Say Brexit march in London
PA
25/76 EU supporters react after the result of the vote on the deal delay was announced at the House of Commons
REUTERS
26/76 A demonstrator carries his dog draped in EU flag
AP
27/76 Thousands of people taking part in a People’s Vote march
AFP/Getty
28/76 Protesters use their flags to shelter from the rain
Getty Images
29/76 Protesters march towards Parliament Square
Getty Images
30/76 Anti-Brexit demonstrators carry placards and EU flags
AP
31/76 Sir Oliver Letwin MP in Parliament Square, London, during an an anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard rally, after it was announced that the Letwin amendment, which seeks to avoid a no-deal Brexit on October 31, has been accepted
PA
32/76 Thousands of people taking part in a People’s Vote march
UK BROADCASTERS POOL/AFP via Get
33/76 A protester with “Bollocks to Brexit” stickers on his head
Getty Images
34/76 Demonstrators march
EPA
35/76 Britain’s main opposition Labour Party shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the EU Keir Starmer, shadow Home Secretary Dianne Abbott, shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer John McDonnell, shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry speaks on stage in Parliament Square
AFP via Getty Images
36/76 Anti-Brexit supporters cheer outside parliament
AP
37/76 A EU supporter waves flags
REUTERS
38/76 Anti-Brexit supporters
AP
39/76 Protesters shout and chant demanding a final say
Getty Images
40/76 Police look towards protesters
Getty Images
41/76 Pro-Brexit protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in London
PA
42/76 People taking part in an Anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard march head to Parliament Square in London
PA
43/76 People taking part in an Anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard march in Trafalgar Square
PA
44/76 Anti-Brexit supporters cheer outside parliament
AP
45/76 People taking part in an Anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard march past Trafalgar Square
PA
46/76 Protesters shout and chant
Getty Images
47/76 Cory (7) sits on his father’s shoulders as protesters march towards Parliament Square
Getty
48/76 People attend the ‘Together for the Final Say’ march
EPA
49/76 Protesters march towards Parliament Square
Getty Images
50/76 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks on stage
PA
51/76 A woman in EU costume
EPA
52/76 Anti-Brexit protesters fill Parliament Square in London
PA
53/76 Anti-Brexit protesters
AP
54/76 Anti-Brexit protesters hold an Independent banner
Angela Christofilou/The Independent
55/76 Protesters hold an anti-Brexit placard by The Independent stall during the Final Say Brexit march in London
Tom Richell
56/76 Anti-Brexit protesters in Parliament Square, London,
PA
57/76 Demonstrators hold placards and EU flags
AFP/Getty
58/76 An anti-Brexit protester joins in the Final Say Brexit march on 19 October
AP
59/76 EU supporters march in London
REUTERS
60/76 Sir Patrick Stewart and Paul McGann join in the Final Say Brexit march in London on 19 October
PA
61/76 EU supporters march
Reuters
62/76 A demonstrator shouts into a megaphone as she marches
AFP via Getty Images
63/76 A dog dressed in an anti-Brexit placard is walked in the Final Say Brexit march in London
EPA
64/76 EU supporters march
REUTERS
65/76 A morris dancer takes part in the Final Say Brexit march in London
PA
66/76 Whippets are dressed in EU flag clothing during the Final Say Brexit march in London
AP
67/76 Protesters march towards parliament in the Final Say Brexit march in London on 19 October 2019
PA
68/76 An anti-Brexit demonstrator takes part in the Final Say Brexit march in London
AFP/Getty
69/76 EU supporters call on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal
Reuters
70/76 Anti-Brexit protesters
Angela Christofilou/The Independent
71/76 An anti-Brexit protester
Angela Christofilou/The Independent
72/76 Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate in London during the Final Say Brexit march on 19 October
AP
73/76 Protesters push a float depicting Dominic Cummings using Boris Johnson as a puppet during the Final Say Brexit march in London
AFP/Getty
74/76 Protesters march towards parliament from Park Lane in the Final Say Brexit march in London on 19 October 2019
PA
75/76 Marchers visit The Independent stall during the Final Say March in London
Tom Richell
76/76 An anti-Brexit protester holds a sign calling for a Final Say during a march in London
EPA
Downing Street said that arrangements had been made for all Dexeu staff who wish to remain within government to move to other departments.
Some will join the new Task Force Europe within No 10, which was characterised by the PM’s spokesperson as a “small and agile unit”, responsible for negotiating the future relationship with the EU and working with departments from across Whitehall.
Responsibility for diplomatic engagement with the EU returns to the Foreign Office, while the implementation of the withdrawal agreement and preparations for the UK’s new status will be overseen by Michael Gove in the Cabinet Office.
The UK’s Representation to the EU (known as UKRep) will be renamed the UK Mission in Brussels, and permanent representative Sir Tim Barrow will become the UK’s ambassador to the EU.
Stephen Barclay (Getty)
During the 11-month transition period lasting until the end of 2020, the EU will engage with the EU and its member states as it would with any other international partner, said Mr Johnson’s spokesperson. At international organisations, Britain will cease to be represented by the EU and will sit as an independent country speaking on its own behalf.
“The UK will seek to deepen our relationships across the world with future partners and to do this, you can expect ministers to undertake travel to support this ambition by visiting countries around the world,” said the PM’s spokesperson.
Source: UK Politics - www.independent.co.uk