Could Boris Johnson’s newest cabinet member end up undoing Brexit?

If the appointment of David Frost is to be the symbol and substance of an even more assertive attitude to Europe, it carries obvious risks to trade, jobs and investment, writes Sean O’Grady

Boris Johnson has appointed David Frost co-chair of the EU-UK joint committee (Getty)

The effusive mutual tweeting of Lord (David) Frost and Michael Gove on the occasion of Frost’s elevation to the cabinet is so gushing it invites scepticism. Now that Frost is taking over Gove’s responsibilities for relations with the European Union, Gove declares there is “no one” better to put in charge, which begs some questions about how he was performing. The answer to that, according to some of the briefing, is “not tough enough” in the eyes of Boris Johnson.

For his part, Frost sees himself as merely “standing on the shoulders of giants”, and on the titanic figure of Michael Gove in particular. Praise indeed, and in a redolent phrase usually associated with Sir Isaac Newton. It defies belief, if not gravity, to launch Gove into such exalted company.

By the look of things, Gove was rather enjoying himself winding up Britain’s membership of the European Union. As one of the few genuine lifelong Eurosceptics in the government it must have been rewarding to be able to argue Britain’s case at the highest level, chairing important joint committees and finessing the most dangerous threats to the status of Northern Ireland within the UK (a cause he is also passionate about).