Science minister quits over Brexit deal as UK ends Galileo talks
U.K. Science Minister Sam Gyimah quit late Friday over Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit deal, after the government pulled out of “frustrating” talks on the EUs Galileo satellite navigation system which offered “only a foretaste of things to come.”
Gyimah, who served in the Education Department and did not have Cabinet rank, is the seventh minister to quit since May presented the Brexit deal negotiated by the British government and the EU to Cabinet two weeks ago. He said he would vote against the agreement in the House of Commons.
The government on Friday abandoned efforts to remain within the satellite project and is likely to forego the £1.2 billion it has already invested in the scheme.
“After careful consideration and reflection, I cannot support the Governments deal and as such, I have tended my resignation as Universities and Science Minister,” Gyimah, who voted Remain in the EU referendum, said in a Facebook post.
“The government is finally pulling out of frustrating negotiations over Galileo, the EUs strategic Satellite Navigation system. The PM is right to call time on a negotiation that was stacked against us from the very beginning. But Galileo is only a foretaste of whats to come under the Governments Brexit deal,” he said.
“Having surrendered our voice, our vote and our veto, we will have to rely on the best endeavours of the EU to strike a final agreement that works in our national interest. As Minister with the responsibility for space technology I have seen first-hand the EU stack the deck against us time and time again, even while the ink was drying on the transition deal,” Gyimah said.
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