Blow to Ireland as Britain’s commissioner resigns in wake of Brexit

Britain’s EU Commissioner Jonathan Hill has resigned following Britain’s decision to leave the European Union.

The Financial Services Commissioner said he would remain in the role on a temporary basis to ensure an “orderly handover.”

"Like many people here and in the UK, I am obviously very disappointed about the result of the referendum," he said. "I wanted it to end differently and had hoped that Britain would want to play a role in arguing for an outward-looking, flexible, competitive, free trade Europe.

But the British people took a different decision, and that is the way that democracy works.”

It is not yet clear if Lord Hill will play a role in the negotiations on Britain’s exit from the European Union.

The departure of Britain's most senior representative in Brussels is the latest fallout from the British referendum which has left the European Union reeling.

The British Commissioner was regarded as a strong ally of Ireland, particularly in the field of financial services.

Irish MEP Brian Hayes, who worked closely with the British Commissioner as part of the European Parliament’s economic and financial affairs (ECON) committee said his departure was a huge loss to Ireland.

“He was someone I worked with closely and who had an intimate understanding of financial services from Dublin’s perspective. He also had a sensible view about how the real economy works, about how to get new forms of lending into the economy, and who was promoting the idea of a Capital Markets Union.

“It’s a major loss to Ireland in my view and highlights the seriousness and the immediacy of the problem with which we have been confronted.”

The departure of Britain’s EU Commissioner was announced as pressure continued to grow on Britain to begin its exit negotiations with the European Union as early as next week.

The European Parliament has become the latest EU body to call for the "immediate activation" of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

In a draft resolution to be considered by MEPs at an emergency sitting of the European Parliament on Tuesday, and seen by the Irish Times, the European Parliament will call on British Prime Minister David Cameron to formally notify the European Council of the referendum outcome at an EU summit next Tuesday and Wednesday.

“This notification will launch the withdrawal procedure,” the draft text says, and is necessary “to prevent damaging uncertainty for everyone and in order to protect the Union’s integrity.”

The resolution, which is being prepared by the four main groups in the European Parliament, also calls for the duties of Britain’s EU Commissioner Jonathan Hill to be reallocated immediately, and for the order of the rotating presidency of the EU to be changed. Britain had been due to assume the six-month rotating presidency in July next year, but there is increasing speculation that Estonia, which had been due to begin its presidency in January 2018 will instead assume the chair in the second half of 2017.

The Parliament’s call for swift activation of Article 50 - the clause which sets out the formal process by which countries can withdraw from the European Union – puts it at odds with the British government which has indicated it will delay triggering the clause for fear that the two-year timeframe indicated in the Article for withdrawal will commence immediately.

David Cameron indicated on Friday that the Article would be invoked when a new conservative leader is in place, while lead Leave campaigner Boris Johnson said there was “no need for haste” in starting the exit negotiations.

Signs that the European Parliament is likely to take a robust stance in negotiations with Britain emerged as foreign ministers of the EU’s six founding member states meeting in Berlin expressed similar sentiments.

Speaking on his way into the meeting, France’s foreign minister called on the European Union to move ahead quickly to seal the terms of a British exit from the bloc, arguing that the other 27 members needed to give the EU new purpose or else risk populism taking hold.

“Negotiations have to go quickly in the common interest,” Jean-Marc Ayrault said.

Britain’s shock departure from the European Union is set to dominate a summit of EU leaders next Tuesday and Wednesday in Brussels, with outgoing prime minister David Cameron expected to brief EU leaders on Tuesday evening before departing the summit early on Wednesday when the remaining 27 EU leaders will discuss the British exit alone.

German chancellor Angela Merkel will also host the French and Italian prime ministers as well as European Council head Donald Tusk in Berlin on Monday ahead of the summit

In the draft resolution to be voted on by MEPs next week, the European Parliament describes the British referendum as “a crucial moment for the EU.”

“The interests and expectations of the Union’s citizens must be brought back to the centre of the debate; the European project must be re-launched ,” it says.

Reuters