Stephen Booth

Theresa May prepares to play tough

Theresa May’s Lancaster House speech sought to answer the question: does the Government have a plan for Brexit? Open Europe’s judgement is that she succeeded. And she also started to set out a wider vision for the UK’s relationship with the EU, linking it both to Britain’s place in the world, and to her own domestic vision – for the sort of country ‘we want to be’.

At first sight the Prime Minister’s 12-point plan for a global Britain seems to be a masterclass in common sense. We welcome her clarity on various points, including that – inevitably – both Houses of Parliament will vote on the UK’s final deal with the EU.  Open Europe was pleased by her position on free trade and immigration which appeared sensible and constructive.

We now know for certain that Britain will be leaving the Single Market and will be outside of the substantive elements of the Customs Union including the Common External Tariff and Common Commercial Policy. Britain will be able to make its own trade deals, including the one with the United States which the president-elect offered this week. Theresa May also (in echoes of language used by the Leave Campaign) ruled out adopting any off-the-shelf model of associate EU membership. We will not be like Norway, Iceland or indeed Albania.

The tone of the Prime Minister’s language was well-judged and this speech offered a wider vision for the UK-EU relationship. She had summoned European ambassadors to Lancaster House and took questions from Le Figaro and El Pais. Her positive and constructive language – for example, regarding a new ‘strategic partnership’ based on trade and security – ought to be welcome on the Continent.

She recognised, rather than challenged, the position of EU leaders (including most significantly Angela Merkel) that the four freedoms of the single market are indivisible.

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