‘Speech outlined a vision of strong UK and Europe’ – Boris
BORIS Johnson has claimed Theresa May’s Brexit speech outlined a “very attractive vision” of a strong Europe “buttressed and supported” by a strong UK.
The Foreign Secretary said the UK will be “able to do our own thing” by working with the EU on defence, security and to also deepen economic links, as he dismissed suggestions nothing will change until 2021.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the only advance was the Prime Minister listening to his party and realising the need for a transition period “on the same basic terms” to provide stability for businesses and workers.
First Minister Carwyn Jones said: “Today’s speech is a move in the right direction from the UK Government, but 15 months on from the referendum there are still too many platitudes and not enough detail, and it begs the question what else could have been achieved in that period.
“The Welsh Government set out a sensible approach to transition in January – which the Prime Minister seems to be finally moving towards. So, whilst we welcome the certainty such a deal would provide to businesses and workers in Wales, this merely underlines the need for the UK Government to listen better and act quicker in the months ahead.
“We look forward to now having a meaningful role in shaping the UK’s new relationship with the EU.”
Plaid Cymru’s Westminster Brexit spokesman Arfon MP Hywel Williams said: “Fifteen months after the referendum, the Prime Minister still cannot tell us what our relationship with Europe will be after we are pulled out of the European Union. Her speech offered very little but empty rhetoric and blind faith. We are repeatedly being told what we won’t have – Single Market membership, a hard-border with the Republic of Ireland, the Norway model; but we are no clearer on what we will have.”
The Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said: “Today’s speech from the Prime Minister sets out a pragmatic and constructive plan for the next stage in the Brexit negotiations, putting at its heart the continued success of not just Wales and the United Kingdom but also our friends in Europe...
“The Prime Minister has been emphatic in stating we will avert the dangers of a cliff-edge, honour our remaining obligations, strengthen the devolution settlement and embrace the opportunity for a new relationship with the European Union. The vast majority of political persuasions, red and blue, leave or remain, can and should rally behind these aims.”
Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage criticised Mrs May’s vision, claiming Britain will leave the EU in “name only”.
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier called for more detail, saying: “We look forward to the United Kingdom’s negotiators explaining the concrete implications of Prime Minister Theresa May’s speech. Our ambition is to find a rapid agreement on the conditions of the United Kingdom’s orderly withdrawal, as well as on a possible transition period.”
Mr Johnson, when put to him that nothing will change until 2021, told reporters in Florence: “No, no, no, as the Prime Minister rightly said we are going to have a transition period and after that, of course, we are going to be taking back control of our borders, of our laws and of our destiny.
“What was so uplifting about this speech was it was positive, confident about what Britain can do, but also about our relations with the rest of the EU, and I think what it sets out is a very attractive vision of a strong Europe buttressed and supported by a strong UK.
“We’re not going to be, as she made it very, very clear, in a relationship like Norway – receiving laws but not being able to change them or to vote on them.
“We’re going to be able to do our own thing but also to work positively together on defence, on security and to build and to deepen that economic partnership.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused Mrs May and her Conservative Cabinet colleagues of spending more time “negotiating with each other” than with the EU.
He said: “Fifteen months after the EU referendum the Government is still no clearer about what our longterm relationship with the EU will look like. The only advance seems to be that the Prime Minister has listened to Labour and faced up to the reality that Britain needs a transition on the same basic terms to provide stability for businesses and workers.”