But we’ll be stuck with the Euro court during transition

THE UK will have to fully accept Brussels rules and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice throughout the transitional window, EU leaders demanded last night.

The European Union’s Brexit guidelines said Britain would have to accept the key freedoms of the bloc – including freedom of movement – during the expected two-year transition period after Brexit. The means EU migrants will be able to travel freely to Britain until 2021.

The guidelines also said the UK would have to ‘continue to comply with EU trade policy’ during the phase.

However, EU sources suggested that despite this, Britain would be able to start negotiating trade deals before the transition ends.

Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg last night warned Britain will not have really left the EU if it remains subject to the jurisdiction of the ECJ during the transition period. He said: ‘ We must get the benefits of Brexit as soon as possible. Remaining subject to the ECJ and free movement would mean we had not left the EU.

‘In the first round the Government allowed the EU to set the terms of the negotiations to our disadvantage, it must not make the same mistake again.’

Theresa May has insisted that the transition period will help make Brexit a success by giving certainty to businesses that are concerned about a ‘cliff edge’ split.

There had previously been concerns that Brussels might take a hard line throughout the period by preventing the UK from pushing for links outside the bloc.

But asked if the UK will be able to negotiate during the transition period, an EU source said: ‘Yes, because on March 29, 2019, they will leave the EU as the sovereign British people decided.’