Chief Brexit negotiator Lord Frost appointed full member of Cabinet

17 February 2021, 19:01

Chief Brexit negotiator Lord Frost has been appointed a full member of the Cabinet, Downing Street has announced.

He is expected to chair the UK-EU joint committee on the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, a role that so far has been undertaken by Michael Gove.

The Prime Minister earlier ditched plans to make his ally Lord Frost the National Security Adviser.

Next month the unelected peer will be a Cabinet minister expected to co-ordinate relations with the EU and its 27 member states and work on post-Brexit regulatory changes.

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Lord Frost said: "I am hugely honoured to have been appointed minister to take forward our relationship with the EU after Brexit."

He added that he would be standing "on the shoulders of giants", particularly of Mr Gove, "who did an extraordinary job for this country in talks" with Brussels.

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A statement from No 10 said: "The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of Lord Frost CMG as a minister of state in the Cabinet Office.

"Lord Frost will be a full member of Cabinet. His appointment will take effect from March 1 2021."

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When previously reversing the decision to appoint Lord Frost security adviser, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said he had been appointed representative for Brexit and International Policy and head of a new International Policy Unit in No 10.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "He will lead the UK's institutional and strategic relationship with the EU and he will help drive through changes to maximise the opportunities that flow from the deal we reached with the EU."