David Davis sparks Cabinet turmoil over his plans to quit and pass Brexit responsibilities on to Boris Johnson once UK leaves the EU
DAVID Davis risked fresh Cabinet turmoil after sharing plans to quit his position in 17 months' time and hand the Brexit torch to Boris Johnson, The Sun can reveal.
The Brexit Secretary has told friends it is vital for EU negotiator Michel Barnier to get a good divorce with Britain as the Frenchman has hatched plans to be the next EU President whereas “I'm retiring after this, he's not."
It is widely believed in Brussels that Mr Barnier will have a tilt at becoming the next EU Commission chief should the ambitious politician hammer out a decent settlement with Britain.
Despite Theresa May’s plans for a two year transition after exit day on 30 March 2019, Mr Davis has signalled he has no wish to stay in office to see the phase through, saying: “someone else can do that, Boris can do that."
His threat to throw in the towel before Britain has fully departed the EU will add further fuel to already bitter Tory conference rows - and infuriate anti-BoJo leadership rivals.
The annual party gathering in Manchester has been dominated by Brexit wars after the Foreign Secretary urged the Prime Minister to keep any transition phase last “not a second more” than two years after exit day in 2019.
The Sun understands Mr Davis believes his entire Department for Exiting the EU would become defunct as soon as he has negotiated a settlement with Brussels in 2019.
A source close to Mr Davis said the Brexit Secretary saw this as his legacy and his “last big job in politics”, but suggested he was being “tongue in cheek” about Boris.
The Sun's revelation came as Mr Davis’s former Brexit department deputy urged him to publish plans made by the Government for a “no deal” scenario.
Ex-minister David Jones said unless Mr Barnier gives the nod for trade talks between the EU and the UK to start soon “we must make it absolutely clear we will terminate negotiations”.