黑洞社区

Prime minister Theresa May has laid out plans for a 鈥渟mooth and orderly Brexit鈥� in a key speech on Britain鈥檚 priorities for exiting the EU.

The much-anticipated speech set out 12 negotiating objectives, and confirmed Britain will leave the EU single market in favour of the 鈥済reatest possible access鈥�.

May said it was clear it was impossible to remain in the single market while the government pursued its objectives of controlling immigration and leaving the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.

May said Britain wants to trade with the EU 鈥渁s freely as possible鈥� but will not be 鈥渉alf-in, half-out鈥�.

She added: 鈥淲e seek a new and equal partnership 鈥� between an independent, self-governing, global Britain and our friends and allies in the EU鈥�.

May said the country鈥檚 strategy was to become 鈥渁 global Britain鈥�, adding: 鈥淚t is clear the UK needs to increase its trade significantly with the world鈥檚 fastest growing economies鈥�.

On immigration, May said the government would seek to guarantee the rights of European Union citizens living and working in Britain.

She also said the government would not sign up wholesale to the EU鈥檚 customs union, as the country wants to be able to draw up its own trade agreements with other countries, but said she could conceive that the UK might want to be an 鈥渁ssociate member鈥� to remove as many barriers to EU trade as possible.

Britain will seek to negotiatiate some transitional arrangements to ensure there is a 鈥減hased鈥� exit rather than 鈥渁 disruptive cliff edge鈥�, May said.

Despite outlining a collaborative approach to negotiations with the EU, May warned the UK would not accept a deal at any price, saying: 鈥淣o deal is better than a bad deal鈥�.

May鈥檚 speech comes as 黑洞社区 has begun canvassing industry opinion on what outcomes it needs from Brexit, as part of our .

The first stage of the campaign will inform , as the Liberal Democrat peer seeks to lead scrutiny of the process on behalf of the sector in the Lords.