Theresa May’s Brexit plan offers a positive rebuke to ‘soft Brexit’
Theresa May’s Brexit plan initiated Britain’s move from a European member state to a “Global Player” of trade, social values and Foreign Policy.
By Sam W. Shenton | 17th January 2017
Last week, I wrote a piece on how we actually know more about Prime Minister Theresa May’s plans for Britain’s exit from the European Union than some make out. Today, Theresa May stood in Lancaster House – the same place that former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher stood to announce Britain’s joining of the Single Market – to deliver a speech in which she outlined the UK’s decision to leave the European Single Market once it leaves the European Union and triggers Article 50 to do so in March 2017. Describing “soft Brexit” as a ‘half-in-half-out’ approach that would look too much like not leaving the EU at all, leave Britain under the jurisdiction of the European Courts of Justice and mean that migration couldn’t be properly ‘managed and controlled.’ In her speech, the Prime Minister laid out 12 objectives for he negotiations to leave the European Union, covering everything in detail from the status of British and EU Citizens, to migration, and to Science and Research and Development, making this by far the most comprehensive – and probably the most we’ll see from the Government – Brexit speech before Article 50 is triggered.
Theresa May’s Objectives:
- Clarity and Transparency where it can be given.
- Parliamentary Sovereignty restored
- End jurisdiction of the European Courts of Justice in the U.K.
- Strengthen the Union of the United Kingdom, including devolution of repatriated powers
- Maintain common high standards as Britain heads for Free Trade Deals
- Maintain British Free Travel Zone and Open Border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland
- “Fairer Britain” – International talent encouraged in controlled and managed environment
- Guarantee rights of British citizens in the EU and EU Citizens in the U.K.
- Transfer workers’ rights protections to British Law and protect them
- Seek Free Trade Agreement with the EU – leaving the single market
- Leading role in science and R&D including continued European co-operation
- “Staggered” or “Phased” Brexit to ensure smooth transition from member state to external state
Above all else, despite the coming divorce, Theresa May announced that she expects the European Union to be treated as a friend of Britain, and for Britain to be treated as a friend of the EU. Describing her disdain for those that call for a bad or punitive Brexit deal to discourage other Member States from leaving the European Union, Theresa May set out that no deal is better than a bad deal. Focussing on Britain’s status in Europe: one of only two Nuclear states in Europe; one of only two permanent European members of the UN Security Council; and a leading place in the NATO military alliance (a particularly important position considering the election of Donald Trump in the USA), Theresa May highlighted that Britain isn’t a state that Europe can simply cast aside because we voted to leave the EU. May’s focus on Britain’s strength – as a current key contributor to the EU budget, the centre of intelligence in Europe, and a centre for Science/ Research and Development – put focus on the new relationship the EU must forge with Britain, instead of the rhetoric of leaving so much behind and pushing the UK into the darkness.
“The result of the referendum was not a vote to turn inward on the World.”
Theresa May’s talk on immigration reform and the Single Market is also something surprising. While it was expected that May would rule out Britain retaining membership of the Single Market, the strong wording in which she said that she would completely rule out any membership of the EEA for it provides a ‘half-in-half-out’ Brexit approach, and would not allow the UK sovereign control over migration policy and over Free Trade Agreements, was not expected. The explicit statement that Britain will not seek membership of EU Markets, but instead aim to form a FTA with those markets shows the beginning of a new kind of relationship between the U.K. and the EU. It also highlights May’s commitment on the issue of migration – a pertinent issue during the referendum – where she sees that because of the EU’s insistence that Freedom of Movement is a condition of Single Market membership, that membership cannot be accommodated in the deal between the EU and Britain.
The focus on immigration is a popular and a crucial one which formed the basis of the Leave vote in many ways, one which 40% of the UK highlighted as the most crucial issue to face in the Brexit negotiations (YouGov), and one which Theresa May has highlighted as a main focus of her government. And yet, the focus on migration in the speech was not a negative one. Instead of focussing on UKIP-like arguments that Britain simply accepts too many people, the PM focused on more positive cases for providing control, in that the UK can select the most talented and the best to come and work here, while Free Movement can, in essence, be provided for certain sectors, such as science and R&D, or perhaps for international students, if they are taken out of migration statistics and Theresa May back-tracks on her supposed crack down of their numbers. Overall, the speech focused on the positives of Brexit in this case, the building of new relationships and the continued respect and co-operation with Europe, noting that Britain needs to the EU to succeed, even if it’s not in it.
“Remaining in the Single Market looks a lot like not leaving the EU at all.”
On a final note, the Prime Minister’s move on some issues has been noticeable, even if they are, arguably, second-rate issues. Focussing on repatriated powers, Theresa May highlighted that some would be transferred from Brussels, not to Westminster, but to the devolved administrations in Belfast, Cardiff, and Edinburgh. This has marked a significant shift from the Conservative Conference in September, when the Corridors were rife with the smell of old-fashioned centralist rhetoric. Meanwhile, putting the final deal and its British approval not in her hands, but in the hands of MPs and Peers marks a stark change from the talk of executive power leading the way on Brexit. Although (thankfully) short of Lib Dem policy of an entirely new referendum, allowing parliament to vote on the deal means that representatives can voice concerns, offer criticism and debate fully the terms of Britain’s exit in the full style of British representative democracy.
Theresa May’s speech was substantive and much more impressive than anything we have seen thus far from the UK Government. With the papers from the Scottish Government submitted and papers from the Welsh Government due soon, Britain’s departure from the European Union now has more certainty and policy to go with the mantra “Brexit means Brexit.” With the pound now rising in value in the aftermath of the speech, the greater certainty of a plan that Theresa May has provided will grant stability as Britain triggers Article 50 in March.
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