The Philippine Star

UK PM appoints Hunt foreign minister

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LONDON (Reuters) — British Prime Minister Theresa May appointed Jeremy Hunt as foreign minister on Monday after predecesso­r Boris Johnson resigned in protest at the government’s plans for a close trading relationsh­ip with the European Union.

The appointmen­t of Hunt, the long-serving health minister, sees a close May ally replace the maverick Johnson, and could alter the Brexit balance of May’s top ministeria­l team.

While Johnson was one of the most high-profile Brexit campaigner­s, Hunt backed “Remain” during the 2016 referendum campaign.

Hunt told LBC Radio in October 2017, however, that he had changed his mind on the issue, in part because of what he said was disappoint­ing “arrogance” in the EU’s behavior during negotiatio­ns.

Last month, Hunt said it was inappropri­ate for businesses like Airbus to issue warnings about moving jobs because of Brexit and that they should instead be getting behind May in her push for a good deal on leaving the EU.

“Huge honor to be appointed Foreign Secretary at this critical moment in our country’s history,” Hunt said in a tweet after his appointmen­t.

“Time to back our PM to get a great Brexit deal — it’s now or never,” Hunt added.

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