No 'half in, half out' Brexit deal
British Prime Minister Theresa May said yesterday that Britain would not seek a deal that left the country "half in, half out" of the European Union when it negotiates its exit from the bloc.
"We see a new and equal partnership between an independent, self-governing, global Britain and our friends and allies in the EU. Not partial membership of the European Union, associate membership of the European Union or anything that leaves us half in, half out," May said during a highly-anticipated speech at London's Lancaster House.
"We do not seek to adopt a model already enjoyed by other countries. We do not seek to hold on to bits of membership as we leave. No - the United Kingdom is leaving the European Union and my job is to get the right deal for Britain," she said.
The prime minister announced that any divorce deal with the remaining EU members must be approved by votes in both chambers of Britain's parliament.
That promise helped revive the pound on currency markets. Sterling, which has traded at the lowest levels against the US dollar for more than three decades, rose during May's speech hitting a day high.
May also said Britain will leave the EU's single market when it exits the European Union, putting an end to speculation that London might try to seek a "soft Brexit".
"I want to be clear: What I am proposing cannot mean membership of the single market," May told an audience of foreign diplomats and Britain's own Brexit negotiating team.
"Instead we seek the greatest possible access to it though a new comprehensive, bold and ambitious free trade agreement. That agreement may take in elements of current single market arrangements in certain areas," May said.
Her announcement that she will put the final Brexit deal to a vote in both houses of parliament comes ahead of a court decision on whether she has the power to start the process of withdrawing without parliamentary approval.
She has said she plans to launch the two-year exit negotiation process by the end of March.
Britons' vote to leave the bloc has opened a huge number of questions about immigration, the future rights of the many EU citizens already living in the United Kingdom, whether exporters will keep tariff-free access to the single European market and British-based banks will be able to serve continental clients.
Germany's foreign minister yesterday welcomed the "little bit more clarity" May provided on what kind of Brexit Britain wants and said it was good she made clear she wanted to work constructively with the European Union.
"She emphasised that Great Britain is seeking a positive and constructive partnership, friendship with a strong European Union. That's good," Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement.
The Czech Republic's secretary of state for EU affairs said Britain's plan for leaving the European Union is a "bit ambitious".
"Thorough speech by @theresa_may. At least now we know what UK wants #HardBrexit," the Czech official, Tomas Prouza, said on Twitter.
"UK's plan seems a bit ambitious - trade as free as possible, full control on immigration...where is the give for all the take?"
The Brexit talks, expected to be one of the most complicated negotiations in post-World War Two European history, could decide the fate of her premiership, the United Kingdom and the future shape of the European Union that Britain leaves behind.
May's speech comes as Northern Ireland, the part of the UK most exposed to Brexit due to its land border with the Irish Republic, faces a lengthy period of political paralysis after the collapse of its power-sharing government.
US President-elect Donald Trump has said that Brexit will turn out to be a great thing and the other countries would follow Britain out of the European Union. He promised to strike a swift bilateral trade deal with the United Kingdom.
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