No 10 plays down claim Brexit will end single market access
DOWNING Street has played down comments by a senior government minister that leaving the EU will also mean leaving the single market.
No 10 warned negotiations on the terms of Britain’s withdrawal from the EU had not even started after Scottish Secretary David Mundell made his comments in the Scottish Parliament.
Appearing before the Holyrood Parliament’s Europe Committee, he insisted the UK would still be able to enjoy tariff-free access to EU markets from outside the single market.
“I accept on one level, if we are leaving the EU then essentially we are leaving the single market but access to the single market can, I think, continue in a way that doesn’t involve tariffs or barriers,” he told MSPs.
A No 10 spokesman insisted that Theresa May was committed to securing the “best possible deal for Britain” outside the EU.
“Clearly we haven’t started the process of exiting the EU yet. We will be triggering Article 50 at some stage in the first quarter of next year.
“Clearly we will engage in a process with the EU. Issues like that will form part of the dialogue,” the spokesman said.
“What is important – as the Prime Minister herself has set out on many occasions – is as we go through the process of negotiation we get the best possible deal for trade in goods and services within Europe and with Europe.”
Previously when Brexit Secretary David Davis said it was “improbable” Britain could take control of its borders and still remain in the single market, he was slapped down by No 10, with a spokeswoman saying he was “setting out his views” and not expressing the Government’s policy.
On Thursday, Mr Mundell was selected as the Best Scot at Westminster after he successfully steered the 2016 Scotland Act, granting Holyrood new powers over tax and welfare, through the UK Parliament.