Former Deputy Prime Minister and Sheffield Hallam MP Nick Clegg is returning to the Liberal Democrat front bench as the party’s European Union spokesman.
His role will shadow that of David Davis, who was appointed Secretary of State for British exit from the European Union in new PM Theresa May’s cabinet.
Clegg was a Member of the European Parliament and a trade negotiator in the European Commission under former chancellor Leon Brittan.
The former party leader is kicking off his role by announcing his ‘Brexit Challenge’ project.
In the coming weeks and months Clegg will publish a series of papers detailing the potential challenges posed to the nation in lieu of the public’s vote to leave the union.
Writing in the i newspaper, Nick Clegg said:
“Theresa May says Brexit means Brexit but no one actually knows what that means.”
“With no meaningful opposition from the Labour Party, no exit plan from the Government, Whitehall unprepared for the Brexit negotiations, and above all, Theresa May’s refusal to seek a mandate from the people for what is in effect a new government, there is a real risk that she and her Brexit ministers won’t be subject to the scrutiny and accountability which voters deserve.
“Whatever your views on Brexit, it is in everyone’s interest to make sure what happens next is debated openly and scrutinised properly.“
Liberal Democrat Leader Tim Farron said:
“There is no-one better placed in British politics to hold the Government to account over Brexit than Nick.”
“Now that Theresa May’s Brexit government is a reality, I’ve asked Nick to take on a formal role in holding them to account.”
“Over the next months I expect him to be the leading voice in this debate, taking them to task and flushing out what Brexit will really mean for Britain.”
The Liberal Democrat party have previously said that, if elected, they would seek to negotiate continued membership of the EU for the UK.
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