Britain's EU exit plans rocked by resignation

Britain's Brexit plans were in turmoil yesterday after the UK's ambassador to the EU quit, blasting "ill-founded arguments and muddled thinking" less than three months before the process is due to start.

Ivan Rogers' resignation and sharp criticism shed new light on the difficulties faced by Prime Minister Theresa May, who wants to hand in Britain's notice for withdrawing from the European Union by the end of March.

The move to trigger the Article 50 mechanism would start a two-year clock ticking on sorting out future relations between Britain and the EU before it leaves the bloc.

Rogers said Tuesday he accepted his departure would add to the "uncertainty" over the coming years of Brexit negotiations.

May has faced criticism for saying little about Britain's divorce settlement objectives: last month she went beyond her "Brexit means Brexit" mantra to specify that she wanted a "red, white and blue Brexit".

And Rogers made clear that he knew little more about how Britain intended to tackle thrashing out its future relationship with the EU.

A highly-regarded diplomat who had been due to end his four-year stint in October, Rogers quit nine months early so his successor could see through the whole Article 50 process.

He also criticised the British government for its short supply of "serious multilateral negotiating experience" in London and said the structure of the UK's negotiating team "needs rapid resolution".

London is set to appoint a new ambassador and deputy ambassador shortly.

In the June 2016 referendum, 52 percent voted for Britain leave the EU. Triggering Article 50 will start a two-year countdown after which Britain will leave all the institutions and the single market unless alternative arrangements have been agreed.