May warns of ‘bumps in the road’ during Brexit

BRITAIN could be heading for a “hard Brexit” from the EU, Theresa May has indicated.

The Prime Minister insisted that Brexit was not about the UK becoming a “supplicant” to Brussels after it leaves the bloc as she stressed the need for immigration controls.

“A lot of people talk in a way which suggests that we should be approaching this as, sort of, saying ‘Well, we’ve been members of the EU; when we come out, what bits of membership can we keep?’

“Actually, I think we need to have a different approach, which is when we come out of the European Union we will be an independent, sovereign, county – what relationship do we want with the EU?

“I think it’s not about the UK, in some sense, being a supplicant to the EU, it’s about the reciprocity here – a good trade deal is going to benefit us and the EU,” she told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

Mrs May said Brexit would see controls on the movement of EU workers to the UK.

“Once we leave the EU there will be the opportunity to control movements coming from the European Union. I think, crucially, what people voted for on 23 June was for their Government to be able to be able to make those decisions, and it’s their Government that will decide.

“Life’s going to be different in the future, but I want to ensure it’s a success,” she said.

The Prime Minister also warned that leaving the EU will not be “plain sailing”, in a fresh indication of the difficulties facing the UK.