Mixed reaction to Prime Minister’s Brexit speech from South West Wales MPs [UK would be turned into the “European version of the Cayman Islands”]
By Steffan Thomas From South Wales Evening Post
It was the clearest indication yet of the direction the UK will take as ministers look to take the nation out of the EU.
And while the clarity on the Prime Minister’s position on Brexit has
been welcomed, Theresa May’s declaration that the UK will almost certainly leave the single market has met with a mixed reaction.
In her speech Mrs May confirmed that the UK was fully committed to leaving the EU and underlined her Conservative government’s commitment to controlling immigration.
She also announced that Parliament will get a chance to vote on the final terms of the deal.
IT was the clearest indication yet of the direction the UK will take as ministers look to take the nation out of the EU.
And while the clarity on the Prime Minister’s position on Brexit has been welcomed, Theresa May’s declaration that the UK will almost certainly leave the single market has met with a mixed reaction.
In her speech Mrs May confirmed that the UK was fully committed to leaving the EU and underlined her Conservative government’s commitment to controlling immigration.
She also announced that Parliament will get a chance to vote on the final terms of the deal.
“It should give British companies the maximum freedom to trade with and operate within European markets – and let European businesses do the same in Britain.
“But I want to be clear. What I am proposing cannot mean membership of the Single Market.”
Mrs May also advocated maintaining the UK’s common travel area with the Republic of Ireland.
She said: “Nobody wants to return to the borders of the past, so we will make it a priority to deliver a practical solution as soon as we can.”
Labour Aberavon MP Stephen Kinnock however labelled Mrs May’s speech as a “damp squib” and said that he feared the UK would be turned into the “European version of the Cayman Islands”.
“In some way the speech was a bit of a damp squib as a lot of the detail was missing,” said Mr Kinnock.
“I didn’t like the end of her speech where she seemed to be threatening to turn the UK into a bargain basement tax haven a bit like a European version of the Cayman Islands.
“She does not have a mandate to change the UK into a European version of the Cayman Islands and that for me is unacceptable.
“It seemed that Theresa May was saying to the EU if you don’t give us what we want we are going to change British economic model.
However, Gower Conservative MP Byron Davies was full of praise after listening to Mrs May’s speech and predicted a bright future for the UK.
He said: “The people of Swansea voted to come out of the European Union and what Theresa May is advocating is just that. We have been a global trading force before and we can most certainly do it again.
“It is important that the UK maintains its strong standing in Europe with regards fighting terrorism and serious organised crime.
“I certainly predict a bright future.”
Meanwhile, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Jonathan Edwards has warned that Britain is on track for a ‘hard Brexit’.
“The Prime Minister has put the British State on track for an ‘extreme Brexit’, isolating Wales and the other UK countries from the rest of the world,” said Mr Edwards.
“The Prime Minister says she wants to give businesses ‘maximum access’ to trade with the EU for good reason, but anything short of remaining within the Single Market will fall short of maximum access.
“200,000 Welsh jobs are sustained by our trade with Europe. The greater the impediments put in place to trade between Wales and the European bloc the greater the impact on jobs and wages.”
Swansea East Labour MP Carolyn Harris stated that Theresa May has opted to “put the nation’s wellbeing on the line with a flag-waving exercise”.
“She is placing the economy under enormous danger by abandoning the benefits of the single market”, said Mrs Harris.
“Her announcement makes it clear that she is prepared to put her own party’s dogma before the interests of ordinary working families.
“We were hoping for something meaningful but what we got was essentially a flag-waving set of statements”.
For more on this story go to: http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/theresa-may-s-controversial-speech-labelled-a-damp-squib-by-local-mp/story-30064844-detail/story.html#Lf1eZv2cm6VMM7Zs.99
Theresa May said the UK “cannot possibly” remain within the European single market.