When he heard that Boris Johnson had been named the foreign secretary of the UK by new prime minister Theresa May, the United States State Department spokesperson Mark Toner could barely contain his laughter.
The new title will give Mr Johnson overall authority over British diplomatic missions, and he will be instrumental in Brexit negotiations with the EU once Article 50 is enacted, launching the leave process.
During the daily State Department briefing, Mr Toner’s facial expression appeared rather amused as a reporter asked about the US’s future relationship with the former mayor of London and major Brexit campaigner.
“We’re always going to be able to work with the British, no matter who is occupying the role of the Foreign Secretary because of our deep abiding special relationship with the United Kingdom,” he said. “We congratulate Foreign Secretary [Philip] Hammond on his new role [as Chancellor of Exchequer] and we look forward to engaging with Boris Johnson as the new foreign secretary.”
[FONT="]Mr Toner added: “This is something that, frankly, goes beyond – a relationship that goes beyond personalities. And it is an absolutely critical period in certainly England’s history, but also the US-UK relationship, so absolutely we’re committed to working productively going forward.” [/FONT]
The new title will give Mr Johnson overall authority over British diplomatic missions, and he will be instrumental in Brexit negotiations with the EU once Article 50 is enacted, launching the leave process.
During the daily State Department briefing, Mr Toner’s facial expression appeared rather amused as a reporter asked about the US’s future relationship with the former mayor of London and major Brexit campaigner.
“We’re always going to be able to work with the British, no matter who is occupying the role of the Foreign Secretary because of our deep abiding special relationship with the United Kingdom,” he said. “We congratulate Foreign Secretary [Philip] Hammond on his new role [as Chancellor of Exchequer] and we look forward to engaging with Boris Johnson as the new foreign secretary.”
[FONT="]Mr Toner added: “This is something that, frankly, goes beyond – a relationship that goes beyond personalities. And it is an absolutely critical period in certainly England’s history, but also the US-UK relationship, so absolutely we’re committed to working productively going forward.” [/FONT]
[FONT="]Both President Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were critical of the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union, but conceded to the voters’ decision in favor of Brexit.
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[FONT="]“The United Kingdom and the European Union will remain indispensable partners of the United States,” Mr Obama said in a statement, “even as they begin negotiating their ongoing relationship to ensure continued stability, security, and prosperity for Europe, Great Britain, and Northern Ireland, and the world.”
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[FONT="]Ms Clinton echoed the President’s commitment to the relationship with the UK and EU.
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[FONT="]“Our first task has to be to make sure that the economic uncertainty created by these events does not hurt working families here in America,” the presumptive Democratic nominee said in a statement.
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[FONT="]“We also have to make clear America's steadfast commitment to the special relationship with Britain and the transatlantic alliance with Europe.”[/FONT]
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[FONT="]“The United Kingdom and the European Union will remain indispensable partners of the United States,” Mr Obama said in a statement, “even as they begin negotiating their ongoing relationship to ensure continued stability, security, and prosperity for Europe, Great Britain, and Northern Ireland, and the world.”
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[FONT="]Ms Clinton echoed the President’s commitment to the relationship with the UK and EU.
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[FONT="]“Our first task has to be to make sure that the economic uncertainty created by these events does not hurt working families here in America,” the presumptive Democratic nominee said in a statement.
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[FONT="]“We also have to make clear America's steadfast commitment to the special relationship with Britain and the transatlantic alliance with Europe.”[/FONT]
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[h=2]Prime Minister May unveils her Cabinet - Boris Johnson is Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond is Chancellor and Amber Rudd is Home Secretary - but George Osborne is SACKED[/h]
Boris Johnson has been appointed Britain's new Foreign Secretary in a shock development tonight, as Theresa May started to build her new Cabinet. She named Philip Hammond as her new Chancellor and sacked George Osborne in a historic evening in Westminster less than two hours after she was officially sworn in as the UK's second female Prime Minister. Amber Rudd was appointed the new Home Secretary, moving on from the Energy and Climate Change Department, while Michael Fallon will stay as Defence Secretary. Mr Hammond moves to the Treasury after serving as Foreign Secretary for more than two years. Ms Rudd is expected to be appointed the new Home Secretary - a vacant position after Mrs May left the department to become Prime Minister. Mr Osborne was sacked by Mrs May, bringing an abrupt end to his six years in charge of the Treasury. There were also reports that all of David Cameron's political advisors had left Downing Street - a sign Mrs May is determined to break with the past.
[h=2]Angela Merkel is the FIRST world leader to call to congratulate Theresa May who warned the German chancellor that she would not be rushed into Brexit talks[/h]
Theresa May has pledged to battle 'social injustice' and create a 'country that works for everyone' after being officially been installed as the new Prime Minister. Setting out her stall as a 'one nation' Tory, Mrs May tonight said she was determined to listen 'not to the mighty' but to the members of society who were struggling and disadvantaged. Speaking from Downing Street after formally taking over from David Cameron, the new PM said: 'The Government I lead will be driven not by the interests of the privileged few but by yours. We will do everything we can to give you more control over your lives. When we take the big calls, we will think not of the powerful, but you.' Mrs May became Britain's second female premier, following in the footsteps of fellow Tory Margaret Thatcher, after a 34 minute audience with the Queen in Buckingham Palace. The Monarch invited her to form a government just minutes after Mr Cameron had been in to tender his resignation.
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The future Mrs May, pictured with her mum and dad in 1961, lost both her parents when she was aged just 25
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The support from Phillip, pictured standing next to Mrs May in 1980, provided crucial when her parents died
.
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Theresa May married her husband Peter in 1980 at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Wheatley in Oxfordshire
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The couple met while studying at Oxford, where the then Theresa Brasier had told friends she wanted to be prime minister
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[h=1]But who's Queen Bee?[/h]
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Theresa May visited the Queen at Buckingham palace this afternoon where she was appointed as Prime Minister but it appears that she may have taken style tips from American politics
Democrat candidate for presidency Hillary Clinton appeared to be wearing an exact match to Theresa's outfit also in a yellow dress and dark jacket
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However, as more photos were taken of the PM what had appeared to be a yellow jacket and dress was in fact a midnight blue coat with a yellow trim
.
+7
Theresa May visited the Queen at Buckingham palace this afternoon where she was appointed as Prime Minister but it appears that she may have taken style tips from American politics
Democrat candidate for presidency Hillary Clinton appeared to be wearing an exact match to Theresa's outfit also in a yellow dress and dark jacket
+7
However, as more photos were taken of the PM what had appeared to be a yellow jacket and dress was in fact a midnight blue coat with a yellow trim
.
