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| Theresa May says Britain will not be 'a supplicant' to EU in Brexit talks Theresa May says Britain will not be 'a supplicant' to EU in Brexit talks | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Britain will approach exit talks with the EU from a position of strength and not as “a supplicant”, Theresa May has said, seeking to raise confidence in the process as the pound sunk to a 31-year low amid business concerns about a “hard Brexit”. | Britain will approach exit talks with the EU from a position of strength and not as “a supplicant”, Theresa May has said, seeking to raise confidence in the process as the pound sunk to a 31-year low amid business concerns about a “hard Brexit”. |
| Making a round of broadcast interviews before her speech on Wednesday to the Conservative party conference in Birmingham, May offered no new clues as to the details or overall aims of the government’s Brexit strategy. | Making a round of broadcast interviews before her speech on Wednesday to the Conservative party conference in Birmingham, May offered no new clues as to the details or overall aims of the government’s Brexit strategy. |
| But with sterling dropping to $1.276 in early trading, its lowest level since 1985, May insisted that business would thrive following a departure from the EU that the government seems to be hinting will result in country ending up outside the bloc’s single market. | But with sterling dropping to $1.276 in early trading, its lowest level since 1985, May insisted that business would thrive following a departure from the EU that the government seems to be hinting will result in country ending up outside the bloc’s single market. |
| Questioned about her pre-referendum warnings about the economic impact of Brexit, and what concessions the UK would need to make if it wanted access to the single market, the prime minister insisted she would start the process from a position of strength. | Questioned about her pre-referendum warnings about the economic impact of Brexit, and what concessions the UK would need to make if it wanted access to the single market, the prime minister insisted she would start the process from a position of strength. |
| “I think it’s not about the UK, in some sense, being a supplicant to the EU,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “It’s about the reciprocity here. A good trade deal is going to be of benefit to us and to the EU.” | “I think it’s not about the UK, in some sense, being a supplicant to the EU,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “It’s about the reciprocity here. A good trade deal is going to be of benefit to us and to the EU.” |
| May said she was “going to be ambitious” as the negotiations began. “The way we approach this is very important,” she said. “A lot of people talk in a way that suggests that we should be approaching this as sort of, ‘We’ve been members of the EU, when we come out, what bits of membership can we keep?’ | May said she was “going to be ambitious” as the negotiations began. “The way we approach this is very important,” she said. “A lot of people talk in a way that suggests that we should be approaching this as sort of, ‘We’ve been members of the EU, when we come out, what bits of membership can we keep?’ |
| “Actually, I think we need to have a different approach. When we come out of the European Union we’ll be an independent, sovereign country – what relationship do we want with the EU? | “Actually, I think we need to have a different approach. When we come out of the European Union we’ll be an independent, sovereign country – what relationship do we want with the EU? |
| “I want that relationship to be the right deal for the UK and the best possible deal in terms of trade with the EU. I want British businesses to be able to trade with the EU, and operate within the EU, and EU businesses to be able to operate here in the UK. I think that makes sense for both sides of the argument.” | “I want that relationship to be the right deal for the UK and the best possible deal in terms of trade with the EU. I want British businesses to be able to trade with the EU, and operate within the EU, and EU businesses to be able to operate here in the UK. I think that makes sense for both sides of the argument.” |
| Asked repeatedly about her warnings about Brexit when she campaigned for the remain side, May insisted it had been a nuanced position: “I did, indeed, campaign to remain inside the European Union. I also said in my speech at the beginning of that campaign that I didn’t think the sky would fall in if we were to leave the European Union – it was a balanced judgment.” | Asked repeatedly about her warnings about Brexit when she campaigned for the remain side, May insisted it had been a nuanced position: “I did, indeed, campaign to remain inside the European Union. I also said in my speech at the beginning of that campaign that I didn’t think the sky would fall in if we were to leave the European Union – it was a balanced judgment.” |
| While noting that life for the UK was “going to be different in the future”, May argued that businesses were confident about the road ahead. | While noting that life for the UK was “going to be different in the future”, May argued that businesses were confident about the road ahead. |
| “They know it’s not going to be plain sailing, there will be bumps in the road, and they want certainty as soon as possible about what the future holds,” she said. | “They know it’s not going to be plain sailing, there will be bumps in the road, and they want certainty as soon as possible about what the future holds,” she said. |
| “But the attitude I’m hearing is, yes, the people have decided, the UK will be leaving the EU – actually, let’s now come together and make sure we grasp the opportunities that will be available.” | “But the attitude I’m hearing is, yes, the people have decided, the UK will be leaving the EU – actually, let’s now come together and make sure we grasp the opportunities that will be available.” |
| The plunge in the pound, which was also down 0.2% against the euro, comes amid a downward trend following May’s earlier statements at the Conservative conference, which seemed to indicate a move to a hard Brexit of focusing on controls of immigration at the expense of single market access. | The plunge in the pound, which was also down 0.2% against the euro, comes amid a downward trend following May’s earlier statements at the Conservative conference, which seemed to indicate a move to a hard Brexit of focusing on controls of immigration at the expense of single market access. |
| May said she remained committed to the target of seeing annual net migration fall to the tens of thousands. | May said she remained committed to the target of seeing annual net migration fall to the tens of thousands. |
| “It’s not changed, in the sense we think net migration should be at sustainable levels,” she said. “We think those levels are the tens of thousands. | “It’s not changed, in the sense we think net migration should be at sustainable levels,” she said. “We think those levels are the tens of thousands. |
| “Of course, once we leave the EU, there will be the opportunity to control movements coming from the European Union. I think, crucially, what people voted for on 23 June was for their government to be able to make those decisions.” | “Of course, once we leave the EU, there will be the opportunity to control movements coming from the European Union. I think, crucially, what people voted for on 23 June was for their government to be able to make those decisions.” |
| Elsewhere in her round of interviews, May talked about scone recipes and shoes on ITV1’s Good Morning Britain. | Elsewhere in her round of interviews, May talked about scone recipes and shoes on ITV1’s Good Morning Britain. |
| Perhaps her most revealing answer of the morning came on Today, when she was asked what made her angry. She replied: “Injustice. What makes me angry? Child sexual abuse, modern slavery, when we see the powerful abusing their position. That’s what makes me angry.” | Perhaps her most revealing answer of the morning came on Today, when she was asked what made her angry. She replied: “Injustice. What makes me angry? Child sexual abuse, modern slavery, when we see the powerful abusing their position. That’s what makes me angry.” |