Britain’s minister in charge of exiting the European Union will set out more detail on the government’s plans for Brexit in a statement to parliament on Monday, amid growing global unease over how it will pan out.
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She gave little away during her visit to China, except to rule out introducing an Australian-style points-based immigration system for workers arriving from other parts of the bloc.
“This must mean controls on the numbers of people who come to Britain from Europe – but also a positive outcome for those who wish to trade in goods and services”, he added, conceding that the talks represented a “considerable” challenge. The “March for Europe” protesters are demanding a “pause” in the Brexit process and a continuation of close cultural and economic ties with Europe.
“It is about seizing the huge and exciting opportunities that will flow from a new place for Britain in the world”, Davis said in a statement. They both want the United Kingdom to stay in the single market, which the majority of people in the last referendum did not want.
He said the referendum had delivered an “overwhelming mandate” and that there would be no attempt to “delay, frustrate or thwart” the result.
“Brexit must mean Brexit and it is up to every red-blooded democrat, no matter which side they were on before the result was known, to accept the clear electoral verdict and to pull together to deliver it as best we can”, said John Penrose, a Conservative Party MP who opposed the motion.
Mr Davis said the government would be guided by “clear principles” – the search for a national consensus, putting the national interest first, acting in good faith towards other European Union countries, aiming to “minimise uncertainty” and to put the “sovereignty and supremacy of this parliament beyond doubt”.
David Davis told Parliament his new ministry already has 180 staffers backed by 120 more working in Brussels.
Mr Davis said securing free trade – not Single Market membership – was the crucial issue, arguing that some countries outside the European Union bloc were more successful than the United Kingdom in trading with it. So we will decide on our borders, our laws and the taxpayers’ money.
“There is no single silver bullet that is the answer in terms of dealing with immigration”, she told reporters on her way to a G20 summit in China, citing her experience as Britain’s longest-serving interior minister in over 50 years.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage accused the prime minister of backsliding on immigration, pointing out that the points-based system had become a central campaigning issue in the final weeks of the referendum campaign. “They were saying that the government is badly prepared for Brexit and it still does not have a clear plan for the way forward”.
“But what we haven’t been told is what they’re going to do”.
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“No mention of the promised £350 million for the NHS, no mention of the Brexiteers’ points-based immigration system: instead there were warm words and hot air”.
