LONDON — He’s the man who brought home a Brexit deal for Boris Johnson — and his reward is to carry on negotiating. Writing news and running campaigns to change the status quo. THE Brexit Party has announced its parliamentary candidate for Montgomeryshire. He explains how he helped set up Business for Britain, the forerunner of Vote Leave, which filled the gap in the Eurosceptic market, making the business case for leaving the UK. Oliver Lewis Vote Leave are taking over Downing Street. So his departure a fortnight later shows all is not well in Downing Street. "People in Scotland have a right to determine their own future in a post-pandemic referendum.". Modi party defeated in battleground Indian state, Experts answer your India Covid questions. India reports highest daily coronavirus deaths1, China social media post mocks India Covid crisis2, Mitt Romney loudly booed by crowd of Republicans3, Trespass arrests at Prince Andrew's Windsor home5, Modi party defeated in battleground Indian state6, Images show extent of deadly Kyrgyz-Tajik clashes7, Caitlyn Jenner opposes trans girls in girls' sport8, Then and now: When silence descended over Victoria Falls9, Italian rapper accuses state TV of censorship10. What happens to your body in extreme heat? The new Brexit Party candidate for Montgomeryshire, Oliver Lewis, has confessed to a local newspaper that he used to be a Labour member, and backed Remain until “just before the referendum.”, Lewis, who’s studying for a Doctorate at the University of Oxford, told Powys County Times that he was a Remain supporter and “[sympathises] still with some arguments for Remain.”. Required fields are marked *. Downing Street declined to comment on staffing matters. Read about our approach to external linking. Oliver Lewis, who served as Research Director at Vote Leave, has resigned as a Conservative Councillor in Michael Gove’s constituency of Surrey Heath over the Government’s Brexit policy. Oliver Lewis is reported to have said his position was made "untenable" by others within Number 10. Lewis, who … Although not officially announced, it means Oliver Lewis, a resident of Montgomery, will be pulling out. Following Mr Lewis's departure, Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, tweeted: "Disunity in the Union unit. Far from it. Voters gave him a majority of 80 precisely so that he can stand firm on his promise of delivering a clean Brexit. Around Westminster, these power struggles are fascinating. A YouGov poll last year found that 54.1% of the constituency supports a second referendum to decide whether we should leave or not. Boris Johnson's main adviser on keeping the UK together has departed, saying his position was made "untenable" by others within Downing Street. Why can't Australians get back into their country? This follows fellow Vote Leave veteran James Starkie’s resignation as a SpAd to Gove last week. The U.K. prime minister now wants his EU adviser, David Frost, to handle the next phase of the United Kingdom’s negotiations with the European Union: discussions about the future trading relationship between Britain and the bloc. Your email address will not be published. Descended from a Welsh-speaking mining family from Carmarthenshire, Oliver is a public transport campaigner and Historian, presently studying for his Doctorate at the University of Oxford. Oliver Lewis: Head of No 10's Union unit quits less than two weeks into the job. We hail the commitment of Frost and Oliver Lewis to their negotiating brief. Mr Johnson has said another referendum on Scottish independence - following the last one in 2014 - should not happen, describing it as a "once-in-a-generation" vote. "As support for independence grows, the Tories are losing advisers like rats on a sinking ship," she said. The Guardian understands the deal was brokered by the deputy chief Brexit negotiator Oliver Lewis, the former research director of Vote Leave, … Mr Lewis, who worked alongside Mr Cummings in the Vote Leave campaign in the 2016 EU referendum, won widespread praise for the way he helped Lord Frost in the Brexit talks. What the latest No 10 exit means for the Union, India reports highest daily coronavirus deaths. Oliver Lewis (right) has been accused of repeatedly moving to shut down progress in Brexit negotiations Credit: Getty Images - Getty Oliver Lewis, an ally of the prime minister's former chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, was a key part of the campaign for the UK to leave the EU. 10 business relations SpAd James Starkie and Brexit policy SpAd Oliver Lewis were also part of the Vote Leave brigade. He replaced Luke Graham, a former Conservative MP. He also admitted that he’d been a card-carrying member of both Labour and the Conservatives, before joining Nigel Farage’s ranks. Oliver “Sonic” Lewis worked with Boris Johnson on Vote Leave, his leadership campaign and helped Lord Frost strike the Brexit deal. Sources say Mr Lewis was the victim of a(nother) power struggle - after personnel changes at the heart of government last week. Lewis, who was head of research at the Vote Leave campaign under Dominic Cummings, acted as the de facto deputy to David Frost when he negotiated the UK’s Brexit deal. And the Times reports Vote Leave Chief Executive Matthew Elliott will be joining Sajid Javid at the Treasury. Oliver Lewis, an ally of the prime minister's former chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, was a key part of the campaign for the UK to leave the EU. Oliver Lewis has promised a vote if the Brexit Party is in government after the next general election, saying Powys County Council was "unfathomably big". And on this, at least, he has the clear support of his party. This week I spoke to Oliver Lewis the former Research Director of Vote Leave. "But equally David Frost and Oliver Lewis, the Brexit policy adviser, are both in place. He joined the UK government as an adviser on Brexit policy before taking up his role defending the union. Chief U.K. Brexit negotiator David Frost | Stephanie Lecocq/EPA-EFE. Your email address will not be published. It set out the campaign’s aims for Brexit and talked of “a happy journey to a better future. Oliver Lewis: Another Vote Leave veteran – he was Research Director – Lewis now joins the Government operation as an adviser on Brexit policy. Celebrating diversity, exposing austerity, and tackling global problems. A Brexiteer official will take over the duty of advising Boris Johnson on the state of the union after his former aide quit. “Oliver Lewis needed a new job and he wanted Luke’s. © 2021 BBC. Oliver Lewis will take over a "beefed-up union unit" which advises Johnson on ways to counter calls for Scottish independence after Luke Graham quit following a furious dispute with Downing Street, the FT reports. But, crucially, a journey where we would be in control, whose pace and direction we would determine for ourselves. The SNP's Westminster deputy leader Kirsten Oswald claimed Mr Johnson's "taxpayer-funded anti-independence campaign is completely falling apart". Oliver Lewis, the Brexit Party's prospective MP for Montgomeryshire, said if elected the party would create two National Parks in the county, the other being in the Cambrian Mountains. The Guardian - The clearout of former Vote Leave staffers in Boris Johnson’s inner circle has continued with the departure of Oliver Lewis, a key aide who was appointed to head the No 10 unit devoted to keeping the union together just over a fortnight ago. He was taken on in Downing Street as … These are the people who began a revolution in 2016. He, it is reported, felt his position was being made ‘untenable’ by others in No 10. Get Ready for an early election people — Ajay Jagota ‍♂️ (@ajayjagota) July 24, 2019 He’s an old pal of Boris’s from Brexit days so he got the job,” a source close to Graham told The Times. But the fear some around Mr Johnson have is that they keep happening - and it shows an operation where the ship is still not particularly steady. VideoSweden's 'broken' IVF promise, Lebanon Easter biscuit woes symbolise crumbling economy, Then and now: When silence descended over Victoria Falls. Read about our approach to external linking. Indians' desperate wait for Covid jab to get longer, The young woman trying to adopt her friend, Sweden's 'broken' IVF promise. His departure comes as the Scottish National Party is calling for another referendum on independence. Oliver Lewis, a veteran of the Vote Leave Brexit campaign, is reported to have said his position was made 'untenable' by others within No 10. Press for change. Oliver Lewis, a resident of Montgomery, will contest the constituency in the next general election. Fears of 'impending doom' as Covid threatens Pakistan. The new Brexit Party candidate for Montgomeryshire, Oliver Lewis, has confessed to a local newspaper that he used to be a Labour member, and backed Remain until “just before the referendum.” Lewis, who’s studying for a Doctorate at the University of Oxford, told Powys County Times that he was a Remain supporter and “[sympathises] still with some arguments for Remain.” Copyright Scram Media Limited (registered company in England and Wales: 11736030). It leaves a three-way shoot-out in Montgomeryshire on December 12 between the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour. Last week, Plaid Cymru candidate Elwyn Vaughan was a casualty of his party’s pact with the Lib Dems. Highlight the hypocrisy of the Brexit Party: call on their MEPs to give up their salaries to help people who will suffer due to Brexit. The SNP will demand another referendum if they win the Holyrood election in May - while the impact of the Brexit deal on Northern Ireland is still playing out. He also revealed how using a strategy used by the … What's it like in the best place to live during Covid? Or maybe just despair at realising how threadbare the case for it is.". China social media post mocks India Covid crisis, Mitt Romney loudly booed by crowd of Republicans, Trespass arrests at Prince Andrew's Windsor home, Images show extent of deadly Kyrgyz-Tajik clashes, Caitlyn Jenner opposes trans girls in girls' sport, Italian rapper accuses state TV of censorship, Downing Street replaces head of 'Union unit', Battle lines drawn again over Scotland's future, PM says indyref vote should be once-in-generation. Mr Lewis was research director of the Vote Leave campaign in the 2016 EU membership referendum, writing its manifesto. Mr Lewis was confirmed in his role just two weeks ago. India records another dire milestone, but the government continues to resist a full lockdown. However, if Lewis really wants to reflect the views of Montgomeryshire, he should probably think about making another Brexit U-turn. THE Brexit Party parliamentary candidate for Montgomeryshire says the party is here to stay. Friends said Lewis … Times’ Steve Swinford reporting that Oliver Lewis has quit Number 10 as head of the Union Unit. Oliver Lewis: A former research director in the Vote Leave campaign, Oliver Lewis will serve as one of three deputy negotiators for Frost on the U.K. side. Oliver Lewis was appointed head of the Union unit at the start of the month and was seen as an important player in Number 10 who had Mr Johnson's ear. David Frost’s Twitter thread on the Brexit trade agreement. His speech had been drafted by Oliver Lewis, head of research for the campaign, and Gove delivered it in his usual confident style. Aside from the pandemic, protecting the union is one of Boris Johnson's key challenges in the coming months. More to … Lewis might regret throwing away his EU flag after all. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. In particular, it seems Mr Lewis found it hard to work with another special adviser, Henry Newman, who was brought into the Number 10 operation last week. Lewis claims that he now supports Brexit, above all else, because “the decision by 56.5% of Montgomeryshire’s electorate to leave the European Union must be respected and implemented if democracy is to mean anything.”. Mr Newman is extremely close to the prime minister's fiancée, Carrie Symonds. Following a week of bad headlines and internal party rows over government proposals to break international law and rewrite parts of the withdrawal agreement, No. No. In the words of one source: "Everything just needs to settle down in there.". 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