Leaving EU will help us to raise our horizons, PM pledges
THERESA May last night vowed to use Brexit to ‘raise our horizons beyond our near neighbours’, as she confirmed Britain will leave the EU’s single market and customs union.
The Prime Minister used a speech to a Tory fundraising dinner to set out an upbeat vision of life outside the EU.
Following criticism that her government lacks direction, Mrs May also vowed to take on Jeremy Corbyn and ‘defeat socialism today as we have defeated it before’.
It came amid renewed signs that Tory Remainers were prepared to join forces with Labour in a bid to keep Britain in the customs union.
Speaking at the Tories’ annual Black and White Ball in London, Mrs May said it was essential to leave both the customs union and the single market to deliver the benefits of Brexit.
She said Britain would no longer send ‘vast subscriptions to the EU’, and would regain control of our borders and laws. But she added: ‘My vision of the UK outside of the EU is so much more ambitious than that.
‘Taking back control means leaving the single market and customs union, and constructing a completely new trading partnership with the EU – to protect and promote the interests of British businesses trading in Europe, and EU businesses
trading here.’ Mrs May said she wanted ‘ a completely new alliance with our European partners to advance our interests around the world’. ‘And we will raise our horizons beyond our near neighbours… across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans to nations far and wide… to broaden and deepen our trade and security relationships across the world.’
In an outspoken attack on Labour, she accused Mr Corbyn of pandering to ‘ populism’. ‘Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party are exploiting populist politics,’ Mrs May said. ‘And what do they offer? Massive renationalisation. Capital flight. A run on the pound. That all leads to a bankrupt Britain.
‘That’s why as Conservatives, we are on a renewed mission to fight and win the battle of ideas and to defeat socialism today as we have defeated it before.’
Tory Remainers yesterday indicated they were willing to team up with Labour to frustrate Mrs May’s plans for a clean break with the EU. Former ministers Anna Soubry and Ken Clarke have tabled an amendment to the Taxation (Cross Border Trade) Bill which would make it impossible for the Government to leave the customs union unless it could show it had made every effort to stay.
The amendment has been signed by more than 30 MPs, most of them from Labour. Meanwhile, ten Tory MPs yesterday signalled support for the UK joining the European Free Trade Area (Efta), all but one of whose members are part of the single market.
Former minister Stephen Hammond said he would table amendments to the Trade Bill, which would enable MPs to debate the Efta option. The moves came as Labour gave the strongest hint yet it will back continued membership of the customs union after Brexit, which would make it impossible for the UK to strike independent trade deals.
Labour’s business spokesman Rebecca Long-Bailey said the party ‘would look to remain in a customs union with the EU’, adding: ‘I don’t see how the Prime Minister can achieve the frictionless movement she desires without looking at that option.’ Eurosceptic Tory MP John Redwood accused Labour of turning its back on party supporters who backed Brexit. He said remaining in the customs union would fatally undermine Brexit. ‘It is totally unrealistic,’ he said. ‘It would prevent you from realising one of the big gains from Brexit, and I don’t think it’s on offer from the EU in any case.’
Mr Clarke said he and Miss Soubry were in talks with Labour MPs about forcing the Government to back continued membership of the customs union. He said: ‘The vast majority of MPs would prefer to stay in the EU.’ Meanwhile, Mr Redwood said he remained confident the Government had the numbers to defeat any rebellion.