New Brexit blow for May as Labour peer Adonis quits as infrastructure czar

Labour peer Andrew Adonis quit as Theresa May’s infrastructure chief this afternoon saying the prime minister’s handling of Brexit meant she had become the “voice of UKIP”.

Lord Adonis resigned as chair of the national infrastructure commission as he launched a withering attack on May and denounced Brexit as a “dangerous populist and nationalist spasm worthy of Donald Trump”.

The former transport secretary and ardent remainer was appointed to the independent infrastructure commission in October 2015 as David Cameron and George Osborne lifted Labour’s idea for a new body after winning a surprise majority in that year’s general election.

Today however he said his work had become “increasingly clouded” by his disagreement with the government.

Adonis also attacked May and Chris Grayling – the Tory transport secretary and staunch Brexiteer – over the November “bailout” of Virgin Trains and Stagecoach’s east coast rail franchise.

He nationalised the line when National Express defaulted on their contract to run the route in 2009 and today said Grayling’s recent decision was a “cynical political manoeuvre” to avoid repeating his course of action and would cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds.

Adonis’ resignation letter was published by Sky News.

This version is accurate, unlike the one briefed by No 10 earlier. https://t.co/SwtQcPC1f4

— Andrew Adonis (@Andrew_Adonis) December 29, 2017