I quit! Amal resigns as Britain’s ‘special envoy’ in protest at ‘ lamentable’ Brexit Bill
AMAL Clooney sensationally quit as Britain’s special envoy on media freedom last night in protest at the Government’s ‘lamentable’ treaty-busting Brexit legislation.
In a letter to Dominic Raab, the prominent human rights lawyer said she had no alternative but to resign.
This was after the Foreign Secretary insisted the Government would not change it decision to potentially override the EU withdrawal agreement, in breach of international law.
She wrote: ‘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. 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.’
The British-Lebanese barrister, who is married to actor George Clooney, was made special envoy by then foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt in 2019.
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 senior officials – the advocate general for Scotland, Lord Keen of Elie, and the head of the Government legal department, Sir Jonathan Jones.
It will add to the pressure on Boris Johnson who has been facing calls to drop the controversial measures in the UK Internal Market Bill.