Back in December, the House of Commons voted – albeit in a non-binding motion – that the Government should publish a plan for our negotiations with the EU and that we should trigger Article 50 by the end of March. On Tuesday, that plan was unveiled and we now know that we are not seeking membership of the single market, we will not accept freedom of movement and we will not be bound by the European Courts of Justice. We will, however, seek a customs union, a free trade agreement with the EU, the maintenance of the Anglo-Irish travel area and to co-operate, as we do already, on security and intelligence matters.
Some will want to describe that as a ‘Hard Brexit’ but I just see it as Brexit. It is all the things that were offered or threatened in the referendum debate and it is the obvious position to adopt to give maximum leverage in our negotiations with the EU.
The Prime Minister was right to be positive in her speech; if the EU are sensible they will see that this is an opportunity for them to secure a trade deal with the fifth largest economy on earth. But when at the end of her speech, the Prime Minister took a more defiant tone she was right too.
For make no mistake, this country voted to leave and the Government must deliver exactly that. When they do so, they’ll prefer to do it in a way that is mutually beneficial to the UK and the EU. But the priority will be the British national interest and it was hugely reassuring to see Mrs May reminding Brussels of that fact.