Tomorrow (Monday) the Prime Minister will give a speech setting
out his vison for the United Kingdom following last week’s
departure from the European Union. He will set out how the UK
will assume a new place on the world stage and outline the
Government’s approach to negotiations about the UK’s future
relationship with the EU.
On Britain’s future relationship with the EU, the Prime Minister
is expected to say:
“There is no need for a free trade agreement to involve accepting
EU rules on competition policy, subsidies, social protection, the
environment, or anything similar any more than the EU should be
obliged to accept UK rules.
“The UK will maintain the highest standards in these areas –
better, in many respects, than those of the EU – without the
compulsion of a treaty and it is vital to stress this now.
“We have often been told that we must choose between full access
to the EU market, along with accepting its rules and courts on
the Norway model, or an ambitious free trade agreement, which
opens up markets and avoids the full panoply of EU regulation, on
the example of Canada.
“We have made our choice: we want a free trade agreement, similar
to Canada’s but in the very unlikely event that we do not
succeed, then our trade will have to be based on our existing
Withdrawal Agreement with the EU.
“The choice is emphatically not ‘deal or no-deal’. The question
is whether we agree a trading relationship with the EU comparable
to Canada’s – or more like Australia’s.
“In either case, I have no doubt that Britain will prosper. And
of course our new relationship with our closest neighbours will
range far beyond trade.
“We will seek a pragmatic agreement on security, protecting our
citizens without trespassing on the autonomy of our respective
legal systems.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
On Monday there will be a Written Ministerial statement that sets
out the UK position on future negotiations with the EU.
The speech takes place the same day that the EU will publish
their own mandate and will be given to an audience of national
and international businesses from a range of sectors, think tanks
and Ambassadors to the UK from around the world, in a London
venue with historic trade ties
