Brexit Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds sacked in Burnham's cabinet reshuffle

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LONDON — Britain’s EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds is to leave government following Andy Burnham’s reshuffle.

The Torfaen MP said in a letter to the new prime minister that he was stepping down “following our conversation.”

The close ally of Keir Starmer, who was delivering the prime minister’s EU reset, said Burnham had his “full support.”

As Cabinet Office minister, Thomas-Symonds also had responsibility for other policy areas including public inquiries and civil service reform.

His departure comes at a key time for negotiations between Britain and the EU.

Before Starmer’s resignation, a U.K.-EU summit had been scheduled for Wednesday July 22 to round off talks on issues like an agri-food agreement, youth mobility scheme, and emissions trading deal.

Starmer had also planned to use the meeting as a launchpad for a closer relationship with the bloc.

The meeting was postponed upon Starmer’s resignation and is now expected to be rescheduled for later this year — with a new minister in charge on the British side.

“I hope that you will continue the negotiations I have started for U.K. participation in the EU’s internal electricity market, and implement the key pillars of the Common Understanding: the food and drink agreement; the linking of the U.K. and EU Emissions Trading Systems; and the Youth Experience Scheme that will provide opportunities for young people to travel, work and study across Europe,” Thomas-Symonds wrote in his letter.

Shortly after Burnham’s appointment as prime minister on Monday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she had had a “very good first discussion” with him over the phone.

Von der Leyen said she and her new British counterpart were “both committed to bringing the EU and the U.K. closer and closer.”

“Together, we will work towards a successful Summit that delivers for our businesses, our young people and our shared security,” she said in a post on social media.

“And we will continue our excellent cooperation in support of Ukraine. Europe is stronger when the EU and the U.K. work side by side.”