Today Theresa May gave a much-anticipated speech about Brexit. She didn’t repeat her refrain ‘Brexit means Brexit’ over and over again, even though this has become a (somewhat hollow) maxim that she must live her life now. No, the Prime Minister endeavoured to lay out exactly what ‘Brexit’ will mean in more detail than she’s previously done.
We’ve heard lots about ‘hard’ Brexits and ‘soft’ Brexits, today Theresa May unveiled Brexit’s latest incarnation: ‘clean Brexit’. As far as break ups go, May has made it clear that this will not be a messy one. She’s going for a clean break, no ifs, not buts and no acrimony. May has said that she’s confident that EU countries want a positive relationship with the UK after Brexit, ‘we want the EU to be a success’ she said, ‘and we want the same for Britain’.
A line drawn has been drawn in the sand, enabling a friendship to remain but leaving no ambiguity as to the ongoing status of the current relationship between the EU and Britain: over. May says that friendly relations after Brexit are the ‘economically rational thing’ for both parties to aim for and intends for Britain to be ‘a good friend and neighbour’ to Europe ‘in every way’.
May has also confirmed publically for the first time that Britain will leave the single market (the means by which countries within the EU trade goods with one another. It aims to ensure low costs, minimal red tape and no taxes, minimising barriers to trade). To many this won’t come as a surprise. May has been saying for months that ‘Brexit means Brexit’ which roughly translates as ‘a break up is a break up’ meaning that Britain could never have stayed in the single market, because we would still have been subject the EU legislation. That’s like breaking up with someone and them still having control over your bank account.
In her speech May also said that she would rather leave the EU with no trade deal than accept a bad one. On immigration she remained vague, saying Britain would take control of it but when asked whether EU nationals would get preferential access to Britain she said ‘the government still wants to welcome the brightest and the best to the UK’. She also refused to say whether any specific industries will be exempt from new immigration rules, once they are in place.
Somewhat ironically, May delivered this news at Lancaster House. This is the same location that Margaret Thatcher gave a speech in support of joining the single market in 1988 and exalted its benefits.
The Prime Minister also confirmed that Parliament will be given a vote on the final deal once it has been agreed with the EU. This is the subject of an appeal currently going through the High Court after Gina Miller won her case to ensure a parliamentary vote on Brexit last year. Some might feel that this was the good news in May's delivery of a 'clean' and 'hard' Brexit manifesto today, but let's not forget she's only confirming what the High Court have already ruled (and will likely rule again) she would have to do legally. It's also worth noting that she used today's speech to make it clear that this would not be an opportunity to undo the referendum and believes MPs will ‘respect the will of the people.’
Those who campaigned for Brexit are, as you would expect, over the moon.
However, others are pointing out that the details are still far from clear. Much of what May said today might have been expected but it was, for the first time, explicit confirmation that Brexit really does mean Brexit. Out means over and out. However, it does rather seem as though she's hoping we'll be able to have our socio-political-economic cake and eat it: free trade on our terms and full control on imigration yet no single market and no concessions. Indeed, on the details May was skillfully vague; negotiations still have to take place before a deal can be agreed and specifics can be announced. The truth, as ever, is that we won’t really know what Brexit looks like until it happens.
Theresa May is clear that she wants a clean break for Britain. She has implored our soon to be ex, the EU, to be ‘rational’ and do the right thing. The truth, though, as anyone who’s ever been through any sort of break up knows, is that they are rarely clean and simple for either party. They are, however, almost inevitably very hard.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.