She acknowledged that those who voted for Brexit were impatient to see June’s referendum decision implemented but insisted that it was essential to approach the negotiations in a “sober and considered” manner.
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The Prime Minister was repeatedly challenged to confirm whether Britain would remain a part of the single market once negotiations on leaving the European Union concluded.
“When are they going to tell us how they’re going to deliver, for example, free trade for British businesses while also opposing immigration controls”.
The EU, Britain’s biggest trading partner, is refusing to negotiate with Britain on the terms of its exit until it formally invokes the two-year leaving process.
Scotland’s pro-EU leader Nicola Sturgeon also ramped up the pressure for continuing close ties post-Brexit in a BBC radio interview Monday. At her first global summit this week, she said Australia, India, Mexico, Singapore, China and South Korea had all welcomed talks about post-Brexit trade.
In a sign that Brussels is growing impatient with the UK, Tusk added it was a “crucial time” for the UK and for the EU. The prime minister said Britain would be seeking a new relationship that would involve control over immigration from the bloc coupled with the ” right deal for trade in goods and services” but that she wouldn’t “provide a running commentary on every twist and turn of the negotiation”.
But May said she wanted a “smooth” Brexit process and told Tusk they had “serious issues” to discuss first.
The Prime Minister has already slapped down her Brexit secretary David Davis for suggesting that continued membership of the free trade zone was “very improbable”.
“We want the best deal for trade in United Kingdom goods and services, including our world leading financial services industry”.
The minister’s comments came as he and other members of parliaments debated a public petition calling for a second Brexit referendum which has so far attracted more than 4.1 million signatures.
Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn said there was “huge uncertainty” and an “extraordinary lack of planning”, warning also about rising levels of hate crimes against European Union immigrants.
We’re always happy to talk trade.
Accused by opposition lawmakers of “waffling” and lacking detail, Mr Davis suggested there was little to lose to gain the restrictions over immigration despite warnings by European Union officials that Britain must accept the bloc’s four freedoms – including that of free movement – to be a member of the single market.
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Critics of the planned Hinkley Point project say its technology is untested, it is a bad financial deal for Britain and serious concerns remain about a Chinese state-owned company investing in key infrastructure that could give Beijing major political leverage in the event of a conflict.
