Who is Chris Grayling and what are the Transport Secretary’s views on Brexit?

CHRIS Grayling has been the Transport Secretary since 2016 and has been a member of the House of Commons since 2001.

We explain who he is and what his views on Brexit are.

Who is Chris Grayling?

Chris Grayling was born on April 1, 1962.

He is a politician serving as the Secretary of State for Transport since July 2016.

Grayling has been a Conservative Member of Parliament for Epsom and Ewell since 2001.

He studied history at Cambridge University.

The transport secretary led Theresa May’s campaign for leadership of the Conservative Party following David Cameron’s resignation in 2016.

What has Grayling done as Transport Secretary?

Six months after being appointed to the Cabinet, he blocked a move by London Mayor Sadiq Khan to give control of the metro services run by Southeastern to Transport for London.

A leaked letter from 2013 shows Grayling felt that would give a Labour mayor too much control over the services, leading to accusations he was putting his party above commuter’s interests.

In January 2018, he was criticised for cancelling multiple railway electrification schemes in the north of England promised by Cameron and then-Chancellor George Osborne.

In the summer of 2018, Grayling introduced a new timetable that led to widespread disruption and cancellation of 10 per cent of trains on Northern and Thameslink.

Charles Horton, the Chief Executive of Govia Thameslink Railway, resigned and Grayling faced a vote of no confidence – which he survived 305-285.

Following, the Gatwick Grinch drone fiasco in December 2018, Grayling was accused of ignoring “numerous warning signs” about the threat posed by drones by stopping draft legislation that was supposed to be introduced in early 2019 but resources were diverted to Brexit-related tasks.

In December 2018, it emerged the transport secretary awarded a £13.8million contract to British firm Seaborne Freight to assist with cross-channel freight capacity in case of a No Deal Brexit.

However, at the beginning of January 2019 it was revealed Seaborne Freight had never run a ferry service and did not own any ships.

The contract was cancelled on February 8.

On March 1, the Government gave Eurotunnel £33million to settle a dispute that the Chunnel operators were never given a fair chance to compete for a ferry service contract in the event of a No Deal Brexit.

Furious politicians demanded “‘Failing Grayling” pay with his job – given a line of gaffes as Welfare Minister, Justice Secretary and now at Transport.

What are Grayling’s views on Brexit?

Grayling campaigned to leave the European Union during the referendum.

He told in January 2019 that blocking Brexit would lead to a surge in far-right extremism in the UK.

Grayling is one of May’s loyal supporters and has stood by her even after her first Brexit deal was voted down in the Commons.

He supports May’s latest deal and had urged MPs to vote to deliver Brexit.