Theresa May promises hard Brexit to build '˜global Britain'

Prime Minister Theresa May. Picture: AFP/Getty Images

Theresa May will say Brexit would build a “global Britain” after Downing Street welcomed US president-elect Donald Trump’s offer to agree a free trade deal “very quickly”.

But critics lined up to condemn Mrs May for choosing a “hard Brexit” – putting the UK outside the European single market and customs union – that will put the government on a collision course with the SNP.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned ahead of today’s speech that a second independence referendum may be the only way to guard against the economic fallout of a hard Brexit.

After months of demands for the government to provide detail on its Brexit strategy, Mrs May will set out a dozen priorities for negotiations in Brussels, promising to deliver “a great, global trading nation that is respected around the world” by leaving the EU.

And in a reference to the threat to the Union, the Prime Minister will say she wants the UK to be “strong, confident and united at home”.

“We have 12 objectives that amount to one big goal: a new, positive and constructive partnership between Britain and the European Union,” she is expected to say.

“As we negotiate that partnership, we will be driven by some simple principles: we will provide as much certainty and clarity as we can at every stage. And we will take this opportunity to make Britain stronger, to make Britain fairer, and to build a more global Britain too.”

Currency markets were braced for a further fall in the pound as traders prepared to factor in the cost of a hard Brexit.

Confirming speculation that the UK will abandon membership of the single market and customs union in favour of controls of over European immigration and withdrawal from the European Court of Justice, Mrs May will call for a “new and equal partnership” between an “independent, self-governing” UK and the EU.

“Not partial membership of the European Union, associate membership of the European Union, or anything that leaves us half in, half out,” she is expected to say.

“We do not seek to adopt a model already enjoyed by other countries. We do not seek to hold on to bits of membership as we leave.”

While the government and Brexit supporters were buoyed by Mr Trump’s enthusiasm for a free trade deal in an interview published yesterday, business leaders warned of the consequences of a “disorderly crash landing” if the UK leaves the EU without a new trade deal in place.

Brexit secretary David Davis indicated at the weekend that the government would consider transitional arrangements to extend tariff free access to the single market beyond the expected Brexit date in 2019.

However, Chancellor Philip Hammond set out the alternative in a warning to EU leaders, threatening aggressive cuts to business taxes in the UK and a possible trade war if they failed to agree a deal.

CBI director general Carolyn Fairbairn said yesterday: “The practicalities of a disorderly crash-landing need to be understood. We have had conversations with some of the proponents of just walking away, and we will again talk to them about what we see from our members about the consequences of that.

“An exit into WTO at the stroke of midnight without the proper planning and preparation in place would be very serious for the UK economy.

“There are some signs that there is more conversation around that being an outcome. Our job is to demonstrate how difficult that would be because of all of these unanswered questions.”

In her speech, Mrs May will say that voters who chose to leave the EU in last year’s referendum “did so with their eyes open” and that Brexit provided an opportunity to “step back and ask ourselves what kind of country we want to be”.

“A little over six months ago the British people voted for change,” the Prime Minister is expected to say. “They voted to shape a brighter future for our country. They voted to leave the European Union and embrace the world.

“And they did so with their eyes open: accepting that the road ahead will be uncertain at times, but believing that it leads towards a brighter future for their children.

“And it is the job of this government to deliver it. That means more than negotiating our new relationship with the EU. It means taking the opportunity of this great moment of national change to step back and ask ourselves what kind of country we want to be.”

Mrs May will add: “My answer is clear. I want this United Kingdom to emerge from this period of change stronger, fairer, more united and more outward-looking than ever before. I want us to be a secure, prosperous, tolerant country – a magnet for international talent and a home to the pioneers and innovators who will shape the world ahead.

“I want us to be a truly global Britain – the best friend and neighbour to our European partners, but a country that reaches beyond the borders of Europe too.”

MSPs will hold a debate on Brexit today and call for Scotland’s interests to be protected in any settlement with Brussels.

The Scottish Government’s lead minister on Brexit, Michael Russell, accused Mrs May of believing she could “get away with anything” by pressing ahead with plans to leave the single market.

Mr Russell, who will travel to London on Thursday for the next round of talks between the UK government and devolved administrations, claimed the Prime Minister’s plans would have “disastrous economic consequences” for Scotland.

“Theresa May today has a chance to spell out her Brexit plans – more than six months on from the vote and with the triggering of Article 50 drawing closer, she must spell out some detail beyond meaningless slogans,” Mr Russell said.

“However, all the signals are that the hard-line right-wing Tory Brexiteers are dictating the direction of travel to the Prime Minister.”

He added: “The Tories now seem to think they can they can do what they want and Scotland will simply accept it.”

Green Party MSP Ross Greer said the Prime Minister was on the verge of triggering a second referendum on Scottish independence by putting forward a vision of an “angry, isolated Britain”.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said Mrs May’s appeal for unity “doesn’t disguise the fact that it will be a destructive, hard Brexit and the consequences will be felt by millions of people through higher prices, greater instability and rising fuel costs.

“Theresa May can say everyone must come together but when she delivers a message like this no-one will believe her.”