Nation must face ‘hard facts’ on Brexit, leader says

LONDON — Prime Minister Theresa May told the British people Friday that they have to face “hard facts” about Brexit, warning that Britain will have less access to European Union markets once it leaves the bloc.

But May also said a mutually beneficial future relationship is possible, and she urged EU leaders to work with her to deliver a “bold and comprehensive economic partnership.”

In a speech aimed at answering critics who have accused her government of failing to grasp the tough realities of Brexit, May said Britain wanted “the broadest and deepest possible agreement — covering more sectors and cooperating more fully than any free trade agreement anywhere in the world today.”

Britain is due to leave the 28-nation EU on March 29, 2019, but the two sides have yet to negotiate new arrangements for trade, security, aviation and a host of other fields. A deal needs to be struck by the fall so European parliaments can sign off on it before Brexit day.

EU leaders have warned that May’s insistence on leaving the EU’s single market and customs union makes the continued close ties she is seeking impossible. They accuse Britain of wanting to cherry-pick benefits of EU membership without any of the responsibilities.

In a speech aimed both at the EU and at a Britain that remains divided over whether Brexit is a good idea, May said “we all need to face up to some hard facts.”

“In certain ways, our access to each other’s markets will be less than it is now,” she said.

But May signaled that Britain is willing to make major compromises to secure an ambitious free trade deal.

She said “U.K .and EU regulatory standards will remain substantially similar in the future” to ensure there is no need for tariffs and other obstacles for the free movement of goods.

And May said “bold and creative thinking” could lead to solutions for trade in services and other areas.

May, who leads a Conservative Party that is deeply divided over Brexit, said that as negotiations reached a “crucial moment,” she would ignore extreme voices on both sides of the argument.

“My message to our friends in Europe is clear,” she said. “We know what we want. We understand your principles. We have a shared interest in getting this right. Let’s get on with it.”