News breaking from the London Evening Standard 18 Sept
- Oliver Robbins to move from Permanent Secretary at DExEU to a co-ordinating role at Downing Street
- government officials said Mr Robbins will still take part in next week's fourth round of Brexit talks alongside Mr Davis, but working for the Prime Minister as her personal adviser
The move comes in the wake of Boris Johnson scattering a few pigeons with his Telegraph article on Saturday and one that has caused so much media, and govt, attention here since. Some Cabinet ministers, and I suspect PM May privately, are fuming at his attempts to undermine her ahead of her keynote speech in Florence on Friday.
Robbins is well respected in EU Brexit negotiating circles but there were reports in the summer of a difference in opinion between him and David Davis, the Brexit Secretary who is the Cabinet minister in charge of DExEU. There have been reports of Robbins, on close terms with May since her Home Office days, of making decisions.
All seems to me sadly like it's going to get messier for selfish political gain/protection when what we need right now is the interests of the country being put first.
The Standard has more here but beware it's edited by former fin min Osborne who was dumped by May last year.
GBPUSD unfazed at the moment at 1.3544 but EURGBP has now extended its strong gains today to post 0.8841
Oliver Robbins - Heading to help out PM May over Brexit