Theresa May denies UK Brexit strategy is 'a shambles' after top official Oliver Robbins quits department

Theresa May has denied the UK’s Brexit approach has been “a shambles” after the top official at the Department for Exiting the European Union moved to a role as her EU adviser.

The Evening Standard revealed on Monday that Oliver Robbins had decided to move from Permanent Secretary at DExEU to a co-ordinating role at Downing Street.

The Whitehall official has shifted from Brexit Secretary David Davis's department to the advisory position in the Cabinet Office, but will "continue to lead the official-side UK team" in negotiations.

His move comes in the middle of the UK's negotiations for exiting the EU and just over a year after he took up the job.

It follows reports of personal differences between Mr Robbins and Mr Davis over the negotiations in Brussels.

Speaking during a trade visit to Canada, Mrs May was asked by a reporter if the change showed the Brexit negotiating structure had been a "bit of a shambles".

The PM replied: "No, not at all. What it is a sign of is that the negotiations are getting into a more detailed and more intense phase.

"As a result of that I think it's right that Olly Robbins concentrates on that and obviously a different structure will be put in place in terms of the running of the management of the Department for Exiting the European Union and the permanent secretaryship there."

Mrs May was speaking during a press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Her comments came after she issued a rebuke to Boris Johnson, who was in New York meeting world leaders at a United Nations summit, following his open challenge to her Brexit policy, insisting her government is “driven from the front”.

When asked by reporters if she was frustrated by his actions, she said: “Boris is Boris. I'm clear that what the Government is doing and what the Cabinet is doing is that we... base our negotiations on the principles set out at Lancaster House."

She insisted: "This Government is driven from the front and we are all going to the same destination.”

Her remarks will be seen as a slapdown for the Foreign Secretary, who was accused by Home Secretary Amber Rudd of trying to act as a "backseat driver" by releasing a 4,000-word essay setting out his personal demands for a hard Brexit before the PM delivers a crucial speech in Italy.

Mr Robbin’s move to the Cabinet Office may be seen as an attempt by the PM to take a more prominent role in shaping the talks, before her major Brexit speech on Friday in Florence.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer questioned the wisdom of moving key individuals at a critical time in the process and claimed it "adds a whole new dimension to government's chaotic approach to Brexit", while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable labelled the change as a "sign of the chaos and division" within the minority administration.

Philip Rycroft has been appointed as Mr Robbins' replacement as permanent secretary at Mr Davis's Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU).

Mr Robbins worked closely with Mrs May as second permanent secretary at the Home Office for a year during her tenure as home secretary.

Sources said he had been brought in to help set up DExEU and it now made sense for him to "focus solely on negotiations" rather than running the department.

A government spokesman said: "In order to strengthen cross-government co-ordination of the next phase of negotiations with the European Union, the Prime Minister has appointed Oliver Robbins as her EU adviser in the Cabinet Office, in addition to his role as EU sherpa.

"He will continue to lead the official-side UK team in the negotiations, working closely with the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, and co-ordinate relations with the (European) Commission and member states."

Mr Robbins' departure from DExEU is the latest personnel change at the department, following the sacking of David Jones and the resignation of Lord Bridges from ministerial roles following the election.

At her meeting with Mr Trudeau in Ottawa, Mrs May said she expected a "seamless transition" to a new trading relationship between the UK and Canada.