Michael Portillo hints at 'hard' Brexit and hails May for refusing 'bits' of EU
MICHAEL PORTILLO has insisted Britain’s vision for Brexit has become clearer since Theresa May’s first interview of the year before endorsing her moves towards a 'hard' Brexit.
Michael Portillo hints at hard Brexit when probed by Andrew Neil
The Brexiteer and former Tory Defence Secretary said Britain could leave the single market and said it was in the UK’s interest to leave the customs union too.
Responding to presenter Andrew Neil on BBC One’s This Week, who asked if Britain was “any the wiser” as to what Brexit will look like, Mr Portillo said: “Yes, I think we are."
“It seems to me that for as long as the European Union hold the idea that free movement of people is fundamental, we will not be in the single market.
Michael Portillo said the UK's vision for Brexit was now clearer
Malta PM: Brexit deal must be worse for UK
If our European Union partners insist that free movement of people is a condition of being part of the single market, then part of the single market we cannot be
“I don’t think we would want to be in the customs unions because that restricts the deals that we can do with the outside world.
"Then I think that leaves the question that if we’re outside the single market, outside the customs union, will the European Union want to put up tariff barriers against their own trade into Britain and our trade out of Britain into the European Union?
“And that will take a couple of years to resolve.”
Referring to the Prime Minister’s Sky News interview this week, Neil argued the PM "didn’t say much of that did she?”.
Mr Portillo backed Mrs May and replied: “Well, I think she has. When she first said Brexit means Brexit, I think meant, first of all, there wasn’t going to be a second referendum and secondly that she was obliged to come back from the negotiations with parliamentary sovereignty restored.
Michael Portillo said Theresa May had been clear as to what her Brexit plans were
“And in particular that would mean control of the borders. So if our European Union partners insist that free movement of people is a condition of being part of the single market, then part of the single market we cannot be.”
The endorsement comes after the Prime Minister hinted at the UK leaving the single market as part of its departure from the European bloc.
Mrs May claimed that the referendum result meant that Britain would not keep “bits” of EU membership.
She added: “We’re leaving, we’re coming out, we’re not going to be a member of the European Union.”
Her comments appear to have put her on a collision course with the EU and Angela Merkel as the German Chancellor has said there will be no cherry-picking over the single market.