May’s five tests to make Brexit a success
THERESA MAY will today set out her five tests for a successful Brexit as she warns the EU that relations will “break down” unless it respects the wishes of the British people.
In a speech in London, the Prime Minister will tell Brussels that Brexit was a decision to “take back control of our borders, laws and money”.
Mrs May, who hosted Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, at Downing Street yesterday, will say that the new agreement must be built to “endure” or the UK and the EU will have to go “back to the negotiating table” to hammer out new terms after Brexit. She will also make clear that the UK and the EU will initially start with the “same rules and laws” after Brexit but then diverge over time under “two separate legal systems”.
Speaking at Mansion House in central London, the Prime Minister will say: “I want the broadest and deepest possible agreement – covering more sectors and co-operating more fully than any free trade agreement anywhere in the world today.
“I believe that is achievable because it is in the EU’S interests as well as ours and because of our unique starting point, where on day one we both have the same laws and rules. So rather than having to bring two different systems closer together, the task will be to manage the relationship once we are two separate legal systems.”
The speech provoked a debate in Cabinet yesterday about a line in which the Prime Minister made a “binding” commitment to align with EU rules and regulations in certain sectors after Brexit.
David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, raised concerns that the approach would effectively permanently tie parts of Britain’s economy to the EU without giving the Government a say in the
rules. “It would make us a rule taker,” said one Cabinet source.
He was supported by Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary; Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, who voted Remain; and Andrea Leadsom, the Leader of the Commons.
Greg Clark, the Business Secretary, is understood to have made a passionate defence of the language in the speech.
Ministers were also concerned that parts of the speech were too negative and effectively rule out a Canada-style deal with the EU after Brexit.
The Canada model, under which Britain would retain border controls but abolish tariffs, is favoured by Eurosceptics.
“It would make us a hostage to fortune, we shouldn’t be ruling out future trading relationships at this stage’
Another Cabinet source said: “It would make us a hostage to fortune, we shouldn’t be ruling out future trading relationships at this stage.”
The first test is to ensure that the agreement on future relations “respects the result of the referendum” and recognises that it was a vote for a “wider change” so that communities are not left behind in future.
The Prime Minister’s second test is to guarantee that the deal represents an “enduring solution”.
“After Brexit, both the UK and the EU want to forge ahead with building a better future for our people, not find ourselves back at the negotiating table because things have broken down,” she will say.
Her third test will be ensuring that jobs and security are protected, while the fourth will strike a positive note as she calls for Britain to remain an “open, outward-looking, tolerant European democracy”.
“A nation of pioneers, innovators, explorers and creators,” she will say. “A country that celebrates our history and diversity, confident of our place in the world; that meets its obligations to our near neighbours and far-off friends, and is proud to stand up for its values.”
Her last test will be a demand that Brexit must “strengthen our union of nations” and “bring our country back together”.
Also yesterday, Tony Blair, the former Labour prime minister, claimed in a speech in Brussels that the EU could halt Brexit if it did more to control migration. However, he did not mention his decision as prime minister to throw open Britain’s borders when eight Eastern European countries joined the EU in 2004.
Meanwhile, Michel Barnier, the EU’S chief Brexit negotiator, vowed there would be “no compromise” on the European Union’s customs rules and warned Mrs May that she had “closed the door” to a solution on the Irish border.
“Any vision on the future must take into account the fact the EU cannot and will not compromise on its founding principles,” he told a business audience in Brussels.
“We have learnt that the UK wants to leave the single market and the customs union and our common supervision and enforcement structures. So the UK is closing the door on itself.”
Mr Tusk warned Mrs May that she will not get the “frictionless” relationship she wants after Brexit.
“Let’s be clear: there can be no frictionless trade outside the customs union and single market,” he said. “Friction is an inevitable side effect of Brexit. By nature.”