Ivan Rogers

The English language used to be an asset of the US and UK. Now it has become a weakness.

Britain on Jan. 4 said it has picked a "tough negotiator" to replace its ambassador to the European Union, who unexpectedly resigned just weeks before Brexit negotiations are due to start.

The United Kingdom's ambassador to the European Union resigned on Jan. 3, adding uncertainty to the Brexit process less than three months before the U.K. is due to trigger its departure negotiations.

Britain’s ambassador to the European Union Sir Ivan Rogers dealt a blow to the UK’s Brexit negotiations by resigning. In a letter explaining his decision he is urging his fellow British civil servants in Brussels to assert their independence by challenging “ill-founded arguments and muddled thinking”.