Portsmouth MP backs Theresa May's Brexit vision

Prime minister Theresa May’s promise of a ‘good deal abroad’ and a ‘better deal for ordinary working people at home’ came as she sets out her objectives for EU withdrawal talks due to start by the end of March.

Speaking at London’s Lancaster House, Mrs May gave a strong signal that she is ready to take the UK out of the European single market by declaring she does not want an outcome which leaves the UK ‘half-in, half-out’ of the European Union.

Mrs May also revealed a parliament vote will be held over the final exit strategy.

She said: ‘This government has a plan for Britain - one that gets us the right deal abroad but also ensures we get a better deal for ordinary working people at home.’

Brexit campaigner Penny Mordaunt welcomed the announcements.

She sad: ‘I very much welcome the speech today. People want the headlines of what Brexit will look like and the scale of the ambition.

‘I think history will look back at the last year and conclude the referendum was an act of immense courage, vision and leadership by the British people. They have given us an unprecedented opportunity to give our nation what it needs to thrive.

‘The PM was right to note that the decision to leave was not a desire to retreat from the world. Internationalism is in our nations DNA.

‘The Prime Minister has already acknowledge the importance of being able to control immigration- whether we need and want more or fewer people coming here to work, we need to be able to control that number and our borders. Without that we cannot properly plan our public services or develop a labour market strategy.

‘That means we will need to leave the single market, but that membership is not required to trade with Europe. It should perhaps more accurately be called the internal market.

‘We will always be able to trade with Europe- it is in their interest we do, and to realise all the possibilities of more trade with the rest of the world we will need to be able to control those things upon which trade deals are built, and membership of the customer union would prevent that.

‘So the PM is right that to maximise Brexit we need a clean break from the EU.’

While Portsmouth Lib Dem leader and Remain campaigner, Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson is concerned by the deal.

He said: ‘I am quite worried, that what Theresa May is saying, is it we will be out of the single market.

‘There were people in the Leave campaign who said they wanted that, and others said we would stay in.

‘So there is no mandate from the referendum to pull out of the single market.’

Following Mrs May’s speech, Brexit Secretary David Davis was set to make a statement to MPs in the House of Commons on the government’s plans for leaving the EU.