UKIP leader Paul Nuttall gives May’s BREXIT vision seven out of 10
UKIP leader Paul Nuttall has awarded the Prime Minister seven out of 10 for her vision on Brexit.
Theresa May vows to take control of immigration
However, he warned that the UK could be about to leave in “slow motion" with no end date set to conclude a transitional deal.
With Ukip well placed to win a crucial by-election in Stoke Central in the next few weeks where Mr Nuttall could be the candidate, he insisted that Brexit campaigners need to be on their guard against any delay or backsliding by ministers.
Speaking from the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Nuttall said: "Some of it did sound like a Ukip conference speech and she's now applying some of the things that we've been talking about for many, many years."
Ukip leader Paul Nuttall has awarded the Prime Minister seven out of 10 for her vision on Brexit
However, he added: "I am concerned that what we're getting is some sort of slow-motion Brexit where she is speaking about interim measures, or a transitional period, which will only begin after April 2019.
Some of it did sound like a Ukip conference speech
"She has given no end date to these transitional measures. I challenge the Prime Minister; let's have this all done and clean before the next general election in 2020."
Mr Nuttall awarded the Prime Minister good marks for saying Britain is leaving the EU's single market and stopping mass immigration.
However, he pointed out that the vital issues of leaving the European Court of Human Rights and taking back control of our fishing waters have been left out completely.
UKIP deputy: Theresa May 'channelled Ukip' in her Brexit speech
'I am concerned that what we're getting is some sort of slow-motion Brexit' says Nuttall
He also noted that as Home Secretary, Theresa May “always talked tough but failed to deliver" on issues like controlling immigration which instead rocketed to new highs.
He added: “I challenge her to change the habit of a political lifetime and actually deliver this time. And I mean on time and in full."
Mr Nuttall's former leadership rival, Suzanne Evans, the party's deputy chairwoman, said that the Prime Minister was “channelling Ukip".
Mr Nuttall awarded May good marks for saying Britain is leaving the EU's single market
She described the 12 priorities set out by Mrs May as “extremely sound."
But she warned: “This is not a Prime Minister who has carte blanche to deliver Brexit it on her own, this is what we are concerned about.
“She is surrounded by a very strong, very influential establishment. We are talking about the hard line Remainers, we are talking about the Supreme Court, we are talking about the House of Lords."