London, June 27
Prime Minister David Cameron is laying the groundwork for his successor to trigger Britain's departure from the European Union and on Monday urged unity among his top ministers, his spokeswoman said.
Cameron said on Friday he would resign by October after Britons ignored his advice and voted to leave the 28-member bloc in last week's referendum, unleashing a leadership battle in his ruling Conservatives.
His spokeswoman said the prime minister had set up a unit of public servants to help a future leader not only negotiate the departure of Britain from the EU, but also to work out the options for the country's future outside it.
The unit would "make sure we have done the groundwork ready for a new prime minister. So it is about preparing advice on the whole range of issues that will need to be looked at, things like transitional issues.”
She said: “It is the pre-thinking. It is not the decision-making because it is right that that decision is taken by the prime minister in a new government," adding that Oliver Letwin, a lawmaker and old friend of Cameron's, would be involved with the unit.
At a meeting of his cabinet, Cameron urged his top ministers to work together on its regular business, which some critics say has been all but suspended during months of campaigning for the EU referendum.
Cameron's resignation has triggered a leadership contest in the Conservative Party, with all eyes on former London mayor Boris Johnson as the favourite to succeed him. Other members of the cabinet may stand against Johnson. The spokeswoman declined to comment on the leadership battle. — Reuters
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