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Friday, November 13, 2026Nov 13

Departing UK ambassador to EU criticizes government in email

FILE - In this file photo dated  Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, British Prime Minister David Cameron, left, and Britain's permanent representative to European Union Ivan Rogers, right, leave after an EU summit in Brussels.  The British Foreign Office announced Tuesday Jan. 3, 2017, that Rogers has resigned, without giving any details about his departure.  (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, FILE)
FILE - In this file photo dated Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, British Prime Minister David Cameron, left, and Britain's permanent representative to European Union Ivan Rogers, right, leave after an EU summit in Brussels. The British Foreign Office announced Tuesday Jan. 3, 2017, that Rogers has resigned, without giving any details about his departure. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, FILE) FILE - In this file photo dated Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, British Prime Minister David Cameron, left, and Britain's permanent representative to European Union Ivan Rogers, right, leave after an EU summit in Brussels. The British Foreign Office announced Tuesday Jan. 3, 2017, that Rogers has resigned, without giving any details about his departure. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, FILE)

LONDON (AP) – Britain’s outgoing ambassador to the European Union has strongly criticized the government’s approach to Brexit negotiations in a farewell email to his staff.

Ivan Rogers said the British approach to the upcoming Brexit talks has been hindered by “ill-founded arguments” and “muddled thinking.”

His harsh critiques were made public when the email was published by British media Wednesday. He had resigned the day before, months earlier than expected.

In the blunt email, Rogers says top civil servants preparing for talks with EU negotiators still don’t know the British government’s priorities.

Prime Minister Theresa May has said Britain will formally trigger exit talks by the end of March.