Amal Clooney quits UK special envoy role over Brexit Bill

Amal Clooney has quit as Britain’s special envoy on media freedom in protest at the UK Government’s “lamentable” decision to override the Brexit divorce settlement, in breach of international law.

Amal Clooney has resigned as a UK special envoy. Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

In a letter to foreign secretary Dominic Raab, the prominent human rights lawyer said she had no alternative, but to resign after he made clear the Government would not change its position.

“Although the Government has suggested that the violation of international law would be ‘specific and limited’, it is lamentable for the UK to be speaking of its intention to violate an international treaty signed by the Prime Minister less than a year ago,” she wrote.

“Out of respect for the professional working relationship I have developed with you and your senior colleagues working on human rights, I deferred writing this letter until I had had a chance to discuss this matter with you directly.

“But having now done so and received no assurance that any change of position is imminent, I have no alternative but to resign from my position.”

Ms Clooney, a British-Lebanese barrister, was originally appointed to the role of special envoy by the then foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt last year.

In her letter to Mr Raab, she said she was “disappointed” to have to give up the position, having always been proud of the UK’s reputation as “a champion of the international legal order and of the culture of fair play”.

“However, very sadly, it has now become untenable for me, as special envoy, to urge other states to respect and enforce international obligations while the UK declares that it does not intend to do so itself,” she said.

Her decision to quit follows the resignations of two other senior lawyers – the advocate general for Scotland, Lord Keen of Elie, and the head of the Government Legal Department Sir Jonathan Jones.

The latest resignation will add to the pressure on Boris Johnson, who has been facing calls to drop measures in the UK Internal Market Bill enabling ministers to override provisions in the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement relating to Northern Ireland.

The European Commission chief had earlier said she was “convinced” a trade deal remained possible with the UK, but called Mr Johnson’s attempt to override the Brexit treaty an “unpleasant surprise”.

Ursula von der Leyen said Downing Street’s controversial UK Internal Market Bill had “distracted very strongly” from the two sides being able to secure fresh trade terms before the looming deadline.

The post-Brexit transition period, during which relations between the European Union and the UK have remained static, is due to end after 31 December. Leaders on both sides of the Channel have warned that an agreement is needed by next month if a deal is to be ratified in time for the start of 2021.

Mr Johnson was forced on Wednesday to agree to table an amendment to the Internal Market Bill, giving MPs a vote before the Government can use the powers related to Northern Ireland which would breach the treaty.

But the compromise has not seen Brussels back down, with Eric Mamer, chief spokesman for the European Commission, telling a press briefing that its position had not changed.