# David Davis resigns as Brexit secretary **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 8, 2018, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538 "2018-07-08T23:13:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/41 "2018-07-09T18:24:30Z")
It would be an interesting question if May were to refuse to do the job until a successor wins a leadership challenge. I imagine that someone would fill the role for a brief time but only to be responsible for emergency purposes and stay out of day to day politics. In normal times, I think the Father of the House would be ideal as a caretaker, but there’s no way that the Tories would let Ken Clarke have any power. Perhaps the Chancellor of the Exchequer? I don’t think Hammond has any interest in a leadership challenge. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/42 "2018-07-09T18:37:53Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > It would be an interesting question if May were to refuse to do the job until a successor wins a leadership challenge. I imagine that someone would fill the role for a brief time but only to be responsible for emergency purposes and stay out of day to day politics. > > In normal times, I think the Father of the House would be ideal as a caretaker, but there’s no way that the Tories would let Ken Clarke have any power. Perhaps the Chancellor of the Exchequer? I don’t think Hammond has any interest in a leadership challenge. David Lidington has stood in for TM at PMQ’s and chaired various committees whenever she’s been away. He’s the Minister for the Cabinet Office, and the current Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Given that there’s no-one currently assigned the (mostly honorary, but indicative of pecking order) roles of Deputy Prime Minister or First Secretary of State, then I reckon he’s the best bet if a short-term temp PM is needed. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/43 "2018-07-09T18:41:32Z")
Someone called _checks notes_ Chris Green?! has just resigned from the government. He was only a PPS, so I imagine the world will still turn. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/44 "2018-07-09T18:43:41Z")
Sky News is reporting that Chris Green has resigned as PPS to the Department of Transport, not exactly a huge move, but let’s see if we get a Gove resignation next. > ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/45 "2018-07-09T20:02:21Z")
Jeremy Hunt is the new Foreign Secretary. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/46 "2018-07-09T20:21:00Z")
Jeremy Hunt did such a wonderful job screwing up the NHS, so I’m sure he’ll be a great foreign secretary ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/47 "2018-07-09T20:32:03Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Food for thought: the Prime Minister is the person who can command a majority in the House of Commons, not necessarily the leader of the largest party. The Tories have an alliance with the Democratic Unionists. The next PM might be Nigel Dodds. Missed this the first time. That is the hottest galaxy-brain take I’ve ever read. How could this possibly happen, \*\*Quartz \*\*, absent a meteor strike or similar? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/48 "2018-07-09T21:09:25Z")
Nigel Dodds? Nick Clegg has spoken repeatedly about how marginalized he felt as deputy prime minister and that was part of a formal coalition, not the confidence and supply arrangement with the Tories and the DUP. Dennis Skinner has a better chance of being PM. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/49 "2018-07-09T21:42:44Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Missed this the first time. That is the hottest galaxy-brain take I’ve ever read. How could this possibly happen, \*\*Quartz \*\*, absent a meteor strike or similar? As I said, the PM is the person who can command a majority in the House of Commons. Okay so far? He or she doesn’t have to be the leader of the largest party. Still with me? The Tories are in coalition with the DUP. The Tories may not be willing to choose a PM from within their own ranks, so they may instead look to the leader of the DUP, Nigel Dodds, as a compromise candidate. Both wings of the Tories may be willing to work under him. Yes, it’s a reach, but we live in strange days. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/50 "2018-07-09T21:52:20Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > As I said, the PM is the person who can command a majority in the House of Commons. Okay so far? He or she doesn’t have to be the leader of the largest party. Still with me? The Tories are in coalition with the DUP. The Tories may not be willing to choose a PM from within their own ranks, so they may instead look to the leader of the DUP, Nigel Dodds, as a compromise candidate. Both wings of the Tories may be willing to work under him. Yes, it’s a reach, but we live in strange days. Well. Thanks for the ultra-patronising asides before you tipped over into complete madness. Again. Nigel Dodds - the compromise candidate! ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/51 "2018-07-09T22:45:53Z")
DUP as PM? There goes any hope of Ireland and Sinn Fein expecting the UK to negotiate in good faith re: Brexit or the Northern Ireland Assembly. It would be too controversial. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/52 "2018-07-09T22:57:02Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Well. Thanks for the ultra-patronising asides before you tipped over into complete madness. Again. > > Nigel Dodds - the compromise candidate! That’ll earn you a warning. Don’t insult other posters. If you must, do so in the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/53 "2018-07-09T23:31:09Z")
My favourite little tidbit came from [Slate](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/07/boris-johnson-resigns-as-brexit-chaos-consumes-british-government.html): > [@](#): > > The prime minister dramatically told her Cabinet that business cards for a local taxi company were available to take them 40 miles back to London if they decided to resign and lose access to their ministerial cars. It doesn’t seem to have occurred to her that they could just take their ministerial cars back to London, then resign, as Brexit Secretary David Davis, his deputy Steve Baker, and now Johnson did. I love this. This is Theresa May. And so very BoJo, too. He can have his resignation and his ministerial car, too, silly May. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/54 "2018-07-09T23:42:13Z")
Now more than ever I wish I could eavesdrop on one of those meetings the Queen has with her Prime Minister. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/55 "2018-07-10T00:12:55Z")
> [@gracer](#): > > My favourite little tidbit came from [Slate](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/07/boris-johnson-resigns-as-brexit-chaos-consumes-british-government.html): > > I love this. This is Theresa May. And so very BoJo, too. He can have his resignation and his ministerial car, too, silly May. It’s almost certainly untrue. If something sounds so ridiculous to read or hear then it usually is unlikely(not impossible) to have occurred. Which is not to deny that something along those lines were said in jest in an attempt to break some tension. Believe nothing; everyone is currently spinning like a bastard right now. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/56 "2018-07-10T02:05:33Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > As I said, the PM is the person who can command a majority in the House of Commons. Okay so far? He or she doesn’t have to be the leader of the largest party. Still with me? The Tories are in coalition with the DUP. The Tories may not be willing to choose a PM from within their own ranks, so they may instead look to the leader of the DUP, Nigel Dodds, as a compromise candidate. Both wings of the Tories may be willing to work under him. Yes, it’s a reach, but we live in strange days. You’re mistaken. The DUP is not in a coalition with the Tories like the Lib Dems were from 2010-2015. The Tories have a confidence and supply arrangement with the DUP, it is very different from a formal coalition. ['Confidence and supply': what does it mean and how will it work for the new government? | General election 2017 | The Guardian](https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/11/confidence-and-supply-what-does-it-mean-and-how-will-it-work-for-the-new-government) ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/57 "2018-07-10T07:01:09Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > You’re mistaken. The DUP is not in a coalition with the Tories like the Lib Dems were from 2010-2015. I never said it was. > [@](#): > > The Tories have a confidence and supply arrangement with the DUP, it is very different from a formal coalition. Quite correct. But the two parties are natural allies. And I did say it was a reach. But as the saying goes, politics makes strange bedfellows. Remember how it was theoretically possible for McMullin to become POTUS in 2016? The same applies here. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/58 "2018-07-10T08:20:25Z")
It was theoretically possible for me to become US President inb 2016 despite being under age and not an American citizen. All I needed was, - Getting US citizenship \*270 electors casting their votes foir me. - SCOTUS ruling that the constitutional disqualifcation did not apply anymore; for instance since they had been implicitly repealed by the 14th Amendment. Voila! Likely? No? Possible? Technically. I actually think that is more likely than Dodds becoming UK PM. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/59 "2018-07-10T08:25:22Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > It’s almost certainly untrue. If something sounds so ridiculous to read or hear then it usually is unlikely(not impossible) to have occurred. Which is not to deny that something along those lines were said in jest in an attempt to break some tension. Believe nothing; everyone is currently spinning like a bastard right now. Of course, it’s quite possibly untrue but I don’t think it’s far-fetched. It wouldn’t be that crazy for her to say: “For anyone wishing to resign over this, here are the business cards of the local taxi company, feel free to leave.” The rest is just funny because they - obviously - took their ministerial cars home before resigning. Regardless of its veracity, I think it quite funnily shows a recurring dynamic. May is just awkward whenever she tries to exude power and BoJo has his cake and his car and he eats it, too. Believing nothing is absolutely the way to go, but laughing at the bunch of them spinning is pretty much all we have left. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2018, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538/60 "2018-07-10T08:31:48Z")
Apparently the UK lacks Uber. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-davis-resigns-as-brexit-secretary/817538.md?page=4)