He said he would be “pressing for full access to the European single market” for Britain’s firms, but added: “There are directives and obligations linked to the single market, such as state aid rules and requirements to liberalise and privatise public services, which we would not want to see as part of a post-Brexit relationship”.
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The UK government will not provide a “running commentary” on its Brexit negotiations with the EU, Theresa May told MPs this afternoon (7 September).
The apparent rebuke sparked concerns ministers are “confused” and can not agree policy on leaving the EU.
Asked whether the fact that Mr Davis was speaking at the despatch box meant his comments reflected Government policy, the spokeswoman said: “Saying something is probable or improbable I don’t think is necessarily a policy”.
The Prime Minister said she wanted control over European Union immigration to the United Kingdom, but Brexit secretary David Davis said on Monday it was “very improbable” that the country could control its borders while staying in the single market.
Back at home, during prime minister’s question time May said she was reassured by her discussions during the G20 summit, despite there being no concrete outcomes.
The PM and her ministers were accused of “waffle” by Scottish National Party Westminster leader Angus Robertson, while the Liberal Democrats’ Tim Farron said: “This Government isn’t concealing its hand – it hasn’t got a hand or, it would appear, a clue”.
Mrs Soubry urged Mrs May to show “principles” on single market memberships. It is not about the Norway model or the Swiss model or any other country’s model – it is about developing our own British model.
While the PM said she wanted control over the movement of people from the European Union to the United Kingdom and the “right deal” for trade, Mrs May told MPs the Government would not “reveal our hand prematurely” or comment on “every twist and turn”.
He laid out the principles of the negotiations and tried not to reveal the government’s negotiation hand in his statement.
“On this particular thing they are unclear of what they are trying to do”.
May seized on his words, suggesting Labour had turned away from free trade, styling post-Brexit Britain as a champion of globalisation.
But May has faced criticism from Brexit backers for rejecting the idea of the United Kingdom adopting an Australian-style visa system, a programme that was backed by Vote Leave and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson during the campaign.
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The Prime Minister told MPs “forging new relationships” will be key to making Brexit a success. We have always understood that our success as a sovereign nation is inextricably bound up in our trade and our co-operation with others.
