Who is Britain’s new Brexit minister?
NEWLY appointed Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab claimed during the referendum campaign that “some kind of checks” would have to be put in place on the Border when the UK leaves the EU.
A supporter of the Leave side, Mr Raab has immediately slotted into the position vacated by David Davis.
The 44-year-old has been a member of the British parliament since 2010 and has served a range of junior ministerial roles.
Given that Mr Davis had effectively been sidelined by Theresa May for months before his resignation, it will be interesting to observe whether the prime minister takes Mr Raab into her inner Brexit circle.
The Irish Government will be closely watching his public comments.
During the Brexit referendum in 2016, he had a clear view checks would have to be introduced in Ireland.
Mr Raab said the situation would have to be “handled very sensitively” but ultimately the UK “couldn’t leave a backdoor without some kind of checks”.
“Everyone with ill will against [the UK] would come that route,” he said.
Speaking about his concerns for the negotiations, he said: “One thing I get nervous about, or anxious, is that we don’t cower in a corner, so fixated on the risk that we look somehow afraid of our own shadow. Britain is a hell of a lot better than that.”
Prior to this move, Mr Raab was the government’s housing minister, a high-profile appointment following the Grenfell Tower apartment block fire in London, in which 71 people died.
He previously served as a justice department minister.
Earlier this year, Mr Raab’s diary secretary was suspended and sparked a security investigation after being accused of offering sex online to older men.
In 2011, Raab claimed “feminists are now amongst the most obnoxious bigots” and suggested men should be “burning their briefs”.