David Davis, secretary for Exiting the European Union, and Liam Fox, the global trade secretary, had indicated after May appointed them that they expected Britain to leave at the start of 2019.
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Senior sources have warned Prime Minister Theresa May may postpone her activation of Article 50, which will spark two years of formal negotiations before Britain officially withdraws form the 28-country bloc, until the end of next year.
The country could remain in the bloc for three more years because Theresa May and her government need time to prepare for exit negotiations.
Prime Minister Theresa May could be forced to push back the timetable due to uncertainty over the preparations of her new Brexit and worldwide trade departments, sources told the Sunday Times. “They say they don’t even know the right questions to ask when they finally begin bargaining with Europe”.
Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty states that a country exiting the European Union will be required to complete the negotiations for new arrangements within two years following the member state’s voluntary notification to leave the bloc.
A City of London source said next year’s parliamentary elections in Germany and France, set to take place next September and May respectively, is expected to delay Mrs May’s decision.
Mrs May, 59, was expected to invoke article 50 – the formal trigger to start the move towards the European Union exit – in a five months’ time in January.
However, their new government departments are being set up from scratch and the situation is reportedly “chaotic”.
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Fox said economic diplomacy – policies concerning trade and Britain’s economic ties – should be transferred to his department, according to a letter quoted in the Sunday Telegraph. Johnson had firmly rejected the Fox’s demands, the newspaper said. The outcome has prompted jubilant celebrations among Eurosceptics around the Continent and sent shockwaves through the global economy. Cameron said: “I will do everything I can as Prime Minister to steady the ship over the coming weeks and months”.
