This morning.

Former Fine Gael TD and Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan was confirmed as the EU’s next chief trade commissioner.

Further to this…

Jon Stone, in The Independent UK, reports:

The appointment of Phil Hogan to the role of EU trade commissioner for the next five years will see him go up against the UK’s negotiators in talks – if the Brexit process gets that far.

Mr Hogan earlier this year rubbished the UK government’s “global Britain” plan, warning that Britain would become a “medium-sized” nation with reduced bargaining power.

Just last month he accused “unelected” prime minister Boris Johnson of putting “the best interests of the Tory party ahead of the best interests of the UK”.

During Brexit talks he has developed a reputation as the Commission’s attack dog: In June last year he said the tide was going out on the “high priests of Brexit”, suggesting the British public were finally seeing through the “deception and lies” of politicians like Michael Gove and Nigel Farage, who he named.

EU puts Ireland’s commissioner who called Boris Johnson ‘unelected’ in charge of negotiating Brexit trade deal with UK (Jon Stone, The Independent UK)

Hogan confirmed as new EU Trade Commissioner (RTE)

Previously: Phil Hogan on Broadsheet

Pic: Rollingnews