Theresa May unveiled her bold blueprint for cutting ties with Brussels today - and warned that if the EU does not cooperate it could be 'crushed into tiny pieces'.
In an historic speech that will define the UK for generations, the Prime Minister vowed to take the country out of the European single market
She insisted controlling rampant immigration is a red line - and made clear Britain will no longer tolerate being bossed around by European judges.
But in a concession to Europhile MPs and peers she announced that they will be given a vote on the final Brexit deal.
The PM's vision will delight Brexiteers but draw howls of outrage from Remainers - who have been frantically trying to limit the impact of the referendum result since last June...
We're going for FULL Brexit! PM puts immigration curbs at heart of 12-point plan for leaving the EU as she confirms we are quitting single market... but MPs WILL get a vote on final deal
Prime Minister is finally unveiling her blueprint for taking UK out of the EU
Rejects 'half-in, half-out' deal and makes clear we are leaving the single market
Britain will regain control over borders and quit the European Court of Justice
Warns that EU could be 'crushed to tiny pieces' unless it recognises demands for greater sovereignty
But makes concession by announcing MPs and peers to get vote on final deal
Says there should be fixed length 'transitional' deal to avoid cliff edge for business
By James Tapsfield, Political Editor For Mailonline and Tim Sculthorpe, Deputy Political Editor For Mailonline and Matt Dathan, Political Correspondent For Mailonline
17 January 2017
Daily Mail
Theresa May unveiled her bold blueprint for cutting ties with Brussels today - and warned that if the EU does not cooperate it could be 'crushed into tiny pieces'.
In an historic speech that will define the UK for generations, the Prime Minister vowed to take the country out of the European single market
She insisted controlling rampant immigration is a red line - and made clear Britain will no longer tolerate being bossed around by European judges.
But in a concession to Europhile MPs and peers she announced that they will be given a vote on the final Brexit deal.
The PM's vision will delight Brexiteers but draw howls of outrage from Remainers - who have been frantically trying to limit the impact of the referendum result since last June.
It brings to an end months of hedging and stonewalling by ministers, as they hammered out the plan of attack in the looming negotiations with the EU.
Theresa May is promising a clean break from the EU in her speech today – ruling out any deal that 'leaves us half-in, half-out'
Mrs May warned that the EU could be 'crushed into tiny pieces' if it did not recognise the demand for more sovereignty
Watched by her top ministers and diplomats in the opulent surroundings of Lancaster House, Mrs May said Britain had 'always looked beyond Europe' and the referendum was not a vote for withdrawing from the world stage.
She said the country would emerge 'stronger, fairer, more united and more outward looking'.
But Mrs May stressed it remained 'overwhelmingly' in the UK's interests for the EU to survive and succeed - and urged the bloc to behave in an 'economically rational' way.
‘I want Britain to be what we have the potential talent and ambition to be - a great global trading nation that is respected around the world and strong, confident and united at home.
‘That is why this Government has a plan for Britain, one that gets us the right deal abroad but also ensures we get a better deal for ordinary working people at home.
‘It’s why this plan sets how we we’ll use this moment of change to build a stronger economy and a fairer society.’
Mrs May was giving her speech at Lancaster House in London
In a passage aimed firmly at the leaders of the EU and its member states, Mrs May said: 'I believe there is a lesson in Brexit - not just for Britain - but, if it wants to succeed, for the EU itself, because our continent’s great strength has been its diversity. And there are two ways of dealing with different interests.
‘You can respond by trying to hold things together by force, tightening a vice-like grip that ends up crushing into tiny pieces the things you want to protect.
'Or you can respect difference, cherish it even and reform the EU so that it deals better with the wonderful diversity of its member states.’
Without even bothering to veil the threat, Mrs May said she knew some in the EU wanted to impose a 'punitive' deal on Britain.
But she said it would be an 'act of calamitous self-harm' for the Brussels club, saying the UK would slash tax rates and regulation to lure in business.
'It would not be the act of a friend,' she said. 'No deal for Britain is better than a bad deal.'
The premier rejected partial or associate membership in favour of a 'brighter future' outside the Brussels bloc.
The pound initially rose sharply as she delivered her warm comments about the EU. But it fell back sharply as she confirmed departure from the single market.
'I want to be clear: what I am proposing cannot mean membership of the single market,' she said.
'European leaders have said many times that membership means accepting the four freedoms of goods, capital, services and people.
‘And being out of the EU, but a member of the single market, would mean complying with the EU’s rules and regulations that implement those freedoms without having a vote on what those rules and regulations are.’
She added: ‘It would mean accepting a role for the European Court of Justice that would see it still having direct legal authority in our country. It would to intents and purposes mean not leaving the EU at all.’
The PM's 12-point plan will see Britain regain full control over borders and quit both the single market and European Court of Justice.
She insisted the UK can become a great, outward-looking trading nation.
'We seek a new and equal partnership – between an independent, self-governing, global Britain and our friends and allies in the EU,' she said.
'Not partial membership of the European Union, associate membership of the European Union, or anything that leaves us half-in, half-out.
'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.
'The United Kingdom is leaving the European Union. My job is to get the right deal for Britain as we do.'
The PM is not explicitly vowing to leave the customs union, which allows tariff-free trade and the movement of goods between its members.
But she is determined not to sign up to anything that restricts the ability to take back sovereignty from the ECJ or prevents solo trade deals with the rest of the world.
In effect, this means quitting the customs union as it stands, and trying to strike a new trade deal which gives Britain the best of both worlds. One option would be to opt back in to some elements of the customs union, but on our own terms.
AT A GLANCE: MAY'S 12-POINT BREXIT PLAN
Today Theresa May set out 12 priorities for her upcoming Brexit negotiations with the EU:
Setting out her detailed plan for Brexit, the Prime Minister (seen leaving Downing Street to deliver her crucial address) is rejecting partial or associate membership in favour of a 'brighter future' outside the Brussels bloc
Mrs May damned predecessor David Cameron with faint praise by saying he had made a 'valiant effort' to renegotiate our membership terms.
But she said that was the 'final attempt to make it work for Britain'.
‘The blunt truth as we know was there was not enough flexibility on many important matters for a majority of British voters,' she said.
Mrs May said remaining in the single market would not be 'leaving the EU at all'.
But she said while we would not be members, we would be seeking to retain access to the markets.
Mrs May will say her guiding principles, once she triggers the two-year article 50 process for leaving the EU in March, will be to provide certainty and clarity to business, while delivering a 'stronger, fairer, truly global Britain'.
She will say the British people voted for Brexit 'with their eyes open'.
Mrs May briefed the Cabinet, including Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Amber Rudd, this morning before delivering her speech
Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom, a prominent Leave campaigner who ran to be Prime Minister last year, appeared pleased as she arrived for the Cabinet gathering this morning
Mrs May's hand in the negotiations has been dramatically strengthened after Donald Trump promised to do a quick trade deal with Britain yesterday.
The resilience of UK plc has also been underlined after the IMF revealed it was the fastest growing economy in the developed world last year – and sharply uprated its gloomy forecasts for 2017.
But Downing Street has admitted that the speech will cause more volatility on financial markets. The pound slumped sharply against the US dollar yesterday but has since recovered some ground.
The tough line has already triggered a wave of protest from Remainers, who complain that leaving the single market or customs union would be a disaster for the economy.
Brexit Secretary David Davis, seen arriving for Cabinet today, is due to make a statement to MPs in the Commons later
Labour former cabinet minister and arch-Europhile Lord Mandelson accused Mrs May of pretending there was a 'clicky fingers' solution to Brexit.
The peer insisted the UK should accept the EU's principle of free movement - which has helped drive net migration to 330,000 a year - in return for staying in the single market.
'This is a Prime Minister who says that she doesn't accept that there is a difference between a hard and a soft Brexit,' he told BBC Radio Four's Today programme.
'I think she is pretending that difficult choices that the Government has to make simply don't exist. If she doesn't know what a hard Brexit is, let me tell her what it is: it's when UK goods suddenly face tariffs of as much 10 per cent or more in our biggest export market...
'There are no clicky finger solutions to these issues, but not even to acknowledge the difficult choices that have to be made, I think is very worrying indeed.'
Arch-Remainer Lord Mandelson accused Mrs May of seeking 'clicky fingers' solutions
Mrs May briefed the Cabinet on her vision this morning before delivering her speech.
At the top of the list of her 12 objectives is a commitment to regain control of the UK's borders with a visa regime for EU workers and a pledge to restore British sovereignty by no longer being subject to the rulings of the European Court of Justice.
Mrs May will also set out her determination to create the maximum trading opportunities for Britain with the EU and the rest of the world; make the UK an attractive destination for investment and study; and protect and enhance workers' rights.
The list includes securing a deal that will allow the three million EU citizens living in Britain to stay here, with a reciprocal arrangement for Britons living abroad.
In a bid to ease tensions north of the border, the PM will also make a specific commitment to 'preserve the Union' with Scotland by securing a Brexit that works for those on both sides of the border.
Downing Street yesterday made it clear that, while Mrs May will be seeking the best possible deal with the EU, the country will not lie down if Brussels refuses a deal.
Chancellor Philip Hammond has threatened to slash business taxes if the EU will not reach agreement on tariff-free trade. The tactic has been dubbed a trade war.
Mrs May will tell the audience in London's Lancaster House: 'A little over six months ago the British people voted for change. They voted to shape a brighter future for our country.
Berlin and Brussels reacted with fury yesterday to a prediction by Mr Trump that the EU could begin to fall apart
'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 toward a brighter future for their children – and their grandchildren too.
'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.
'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. A country that gets out into the world to build relationships with old friends and new allies alike.
'I want Britain to be what we have the potential and ambition to be: a great, global trading nation that is respected around the world and strong, confident and united at home.'
Yesterday, Berlin and Brussels reacted with fury to a prediction by Mr Trump that the EU could begin to fall apart – with other countries quitting the bloc in protest at mass immigration. Mrs May will strike a far more conciliatory tone, saying it remains 'overwhelmingly and compellingly in Britain's national interest that the EU should succeed'.
She will state: 'Our vote to leave the European Union was no rejection of the values we share. The decision to leave the EU represents no desire to become more distant to you, our friends and neighbours.
'We will continue to be reliable partners, willing allies and close friends. We want to buy your goods, sell you ours, trade with you as freely as possible, and work with one another to make sure we are all safer, more secure and more prosperous through continued friendship.'
CARNEY AND IMF EAT MORE HUMBLE PIE AS ECONOMY KEEPS ON BOOMING
Households have defied doom-mongers by continuing to splash out after the Brexit vote, the governor of the Bank of England said last night
Households have defied doom-mongers by continuing to splash out after the Brexit vote, the governor of the Bank of England said last night. Mark Carney, who has been accused of taking part in the Project Fear campaign against Brexit, admitted the economy has fared better than expected.
Figures from the IMF, which had warned against leaving the EU, yesterday showed Britain was the fastest growing major economy in the developed world last year.
The global watchdog said the UK's 2 per cent growth in 2016 outpaced the other Group of Seven leading industrialised nations – the United States, Japan, Canada, Germany, France and Italy.
The IMF said it now expects Britain's economy to grow by 1.5 per cent this year. It forecast 1.1 per cent in October. 'Domestic demand held up better than expected in the aftermath of the Brexit vote,' the Fund said.
IMF chief Christine Lagarde had warned Britain's prospects following a Leave vote would be 'pretty bad to very, very bad'.
Mr Carney put the strength of the UK economy down to British consumers – adding that the 'flexibility and dynamism' of the economy stood the country in good stead for the future as 'new opportunities with the rest of the world open up'.
'Households appear to be entirely looking through Brexit-related uncertainties,' he said in a speech at the London School of Economics. The comments marked yet another U-turn from the Bank and its governor, who before the referendum warned a vote to leave the EU could trigger a recession.
Mark Carney, who has been accused of taking part in the Project Fear campaign against Brexit, admitted the economy has fared better than expected
He said the economy was 'increasingly consumption-led' and warned rising prices could dampen spending this year.
Last August the Bank slashed its growth forecasts for 2017 to 0.8 per cent, having cut interest rates to a new low of 0.25 per cent. But in November it was forced to admit the outlook was far brighter – and it raised its prediction for this year to 1.4 per cent.
Mr Carney last week hinted that a further upgrade could follow next month as he conceded 'the immediate risks around Brexit have gone down for the UK'.
Speaking last night, he added: 'Over the autumn, demand growth remained more resilient than had been expected, particularly consumer spending and to a lesser extent the housing market.'
He noted that the financial markets had been 'less sanguine' – and pointed to the fall in the pound since the Brexit vote.
'Ultimately, the tension between consumer strength on the one hand and the more pessimistic expectations of markets on the other will be resolved,' he said.
In an historic speech that will define the UK for generations, the Prime Minister vowed to take the country out of the European single market
She insisted controlling rampant immigration is a red line - and made clear Britain will no longer tolerate being bossed around by European judges.
But in a concession to Europhile MPs and peers she announced that they will be given a vote on the final Brexit deal.
The PM's vision will delight Brexiteers but draw howls of outrage from Remainers - who have been frantically trying to limit the impact of the referendum result since last June...
We're going for FULL Brexit! PM puts immigration curbs at heart of 12-point plan for leaving the EU as she confirms we are quitting single market... but MPs WILL get a vote on final deal
Prime Minister is finally unveiling her blueprint for taking UK out of the EU
Rejects 'half-in, half-out' deal and makes clear we are leaving the single market
Britain will regain control over borders and quit the European Court of Justice
Warns that EU could be 'crushed to tiny pieces' unless it recognises demands for greater sovereignty
But makes concession by announcing MPs and peers to get vote on final deal
Says there should be fixed length 'transitional' deal to avoid cliff edge for business
By James Tapsfield, Political Editor For Mailonline and Tim Sculthorpe, Deputy Political Editor For Mailonline and Matt Dathan, Political Correspondent For Mailonline
17 January 2017
Daily Mail
Theresa May unveiled her bold blueprint for cutting ties with Brussels today - and warned that if the EU does not cooperate it could be 'crushed into tiny pieces'.
In an historic speech that will define the UK for generations, the Prime Minister vowed to take the country out of the European single market
She insisted controlling rampant immigration is a red line - and made clear Britain will no longer tolerate being bossed around by European judges.
But in a concession to Europhile MPs and peers she announced that they will be given a vote on the final Brexit deal.
The PM's vision will delight Brexiteers but draw howls of outrage from Remainers - who have been frantically trying to limit the impact of the referendum result since last June.
It brings to an end months of hedging and stonewalling by ministers, as they hammered out the plan of attack in the looming negotiations with the EU.
Theresa May is promising a clean break from the EU in her speech today – ruling out any deal that 'leaves us half-in, half-out'
Mrs May warned that the EU could be 'crushed into tiny pieces' if it did not recognise the demand for more sovereignty
Watched by her top ministers and diplomats in the opulent surroundings of Lancaster House, Mrs May said Britain had 'always looked beyond Europe' and the referendum was not a vote for withdrawing from the world stage.
She said the country would emerge 'stronger, fairer, more united and more outward looking'.
But Mrs May stressed it remained 'overwhelmingly' in the UK's interests for the EU to survive and succeed - and urged the bloc to behave in an 'economically rational' way.
‘I want Britain to be what we have the potential talent and ambition to be - a great global trading nation that is respected around the world and strong, confident and united at home.
‘That is why this Government has a plan for Britain, one that gets us the right deal abroad but also ensures we get a better deal for ordinary working people at home.
‘It’s why this plan sets how we we’ll use this moment of change to build a stronger economy and a fairer society.’
Mrs May was giving her speech at Lancaster House in London
In a passage aimed firmly at the leaders of the EU and its member states, Mrs May said: 'I believe there is a lesson in Brexit - not just for Britain - but, if it wants to succeed, for the EU itself, because our continent’s great strength has been its diversity. And there are two ways of dealing with different interests.
‘You can respond by trying to hold things together by force, tightening a vice-like grip that ends up crushing into tiny pieces the things you want to protect.
'Or you can respect difference, cherish it even and reform the EU so that it deals better with the wonderful diversity of its member states.’
Without even bothering to veil the threat, Mrs May said she knew some in the EU wanted to impose a 'punitive' deal on Britain.
But she said it would be an 'act of calamitous self-harm' for the Brussels club, saying the UK would slash tax rates and regulation to lure in business.
'It would not be the act of a friend,' she said. 'No deal for Britain is better than a bad deal.'
The premier rejected partial or associate membership in favour of a 'brighter future' outside the Brussels bloc.
The pound initially rose sharply as she delivered her warm comments about the EU. But it fell back sharply as she confirmed departure from the single market.
'I want to be clear: what I am proposing cannot mean membership of the single market,' she said.
'European leaders have said many times that membership means accepting the four freedoms of goods, capital, services and people.
‘And being out of the EU, but a member of the single market, would mean complying with the EU’s rules and regulations that implement those freedoms without having a vote on what those rules and regulations are.’
She added: ‘It would mean accepting a role for the European Court of Justice that would see it still having direct legal authority in our country. It would to intents and purposes mean not leaving the EU at all.’
The PM's 12-point plan will see Britain regain full control over borders and quit both the single market and European Court of Justice.
She insisted the UK can become a great, outward-looking trading nation.
'We seek a new and equal partnership – between an independent, self-governing, global Britain and our friends and allies in the EU,' she said.
'Not partial membership of the European Union, associate membership of the European Union, or anything that leaves us half-in, half-out.
'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.
'The United Kingdom is leaving the European Union. My job is to get the right deal for Britain as we do.'
The PM is not explicitly vowing to leave the customs union, which allows tariff-free trade and the movement of goods between its members.
But she is determined not to sign up to anything that restricts the ability to take back sovereignty from the ECJ or prevents solo trade deals with the rest of the world.
In effect, this means quitting the customs union as it stands, and trying to strike a new trade deal which gives Britain the best of both worlds. One option would be to opt back in to some elements of the customs union, but on our own terms.
AT A GLANCE: MAY'S 12-POINT BREXIT PLAN
Today Theresa May set out 12 priorities for her upcoming Brexit negotiations with the EU:
- Promised to ‘provide certainty wherever we can’ and protect British business from a ‘cliff edge’ scenario by pursuing a transitional deal with the EU on terms of trade before a permanent trade is struck.
- Leave the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, with laws only being made within the UK - in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.
- Strengthen the ‘precious union’ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- No land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. She promised a ‘practical solution’ to maintain the Common Travel Area.
- Regain control of the number of people who come to Britain from Europe by ending freedom of movement rules.
- Guarantee the rights of EU nationals already living in the UK to stay in Britain after Brexit in exchange for British expats currently living on the continent to remain there ‘as soon as we can’.
- Promised to not only transfer EU law protecting workers’ rights into UK law but to ‘build on them’.
- Pursue a ‘bold and ambitious free trade agreement with the EU.
- Make Britain a great, outward-looking trading nation again by regaining the ability to strike new trade deals for the first time in four decades.
- Continue to work with European partners on major science, research and technology initiatives rather than weaken the collaboration.
- Continue to work closely with European allies in foreign and defence policy and strengthen the Nato military alliance against Russian aggression.
- Pursue a 'phased process of implementation' for Brexit that will smooth the transition for institutions in Britain, Brussels and EU member states.
Setting out her detailed plan for Brexit, the Prime Minister (seen leaving Downing Street to deliver her crucial address) is rejecting partial or associate membership in favour of a 'brighter future' outside the Brussels bloc
Mrs May damned predecessor David Cameron with faint praise by saying he had made a 'valiant effort' to renegotiate our membership terms.
But she said that was the 'final attempt to make it work for Britain'.
‘The blunt truth as we know was there was not enough flexibility on many important matters for a majority of British voters,' she said.
Mrs May said remaining in the single market would not be 'leaving the EU at all'.
But she said while we would not be members, we would be seeking to retain access to the markets.
Mrs May will say her guiding principles, once she triggers the two-year article 50 process for leaving the EU in March, will be to provide certainty and clarity to business, while delivering a 'stronger, fairer, truly global Britain'.
She will say the British people voted for Brexit 'with their eyes open'.
Mrs May briefed the Cabinet, including Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Amber Rudd, this morning before delivering her speech
Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom, a prominent Leave campaigner who ran to be Prime Minister last year, appeared pleased as she arrived for the Cabinet gathering this morning
Mrs May's hand in the negotiations has been dramatically strengthened after Donald Trump promised to do a quick trade deal with Britain yesterday.
The resilience of UK plc has also been underlined after the IMF revealed it was the fastest growing economy in the developed world last year – and sharply uprated its gloomy forecasts for 2017.
But Downing Street has admitted that the speech will cause more volatility on financial markets. The pound slumped sharply against the US dollar yesterday but has since recovered some ground.
The tough line has already triggered a wave of protest from Remainers, who complain that leaving the single market or customs union would be a disaster for the economy.
Brexit Secretary David Davis, seen arriving for Cabinet today, is due to make a statement to MPs in the Commons later
Labour former cabinet minister and arch-Europhile Lord Mandelson accused Mrs May of pretending there was a 'clicky fingers' solution to Brexit.
The peer insisted the UK should accept the EU's principle of free movement - which has helped drive net migration to 330,000 a year - in return for staying in the single market.
'This is a Prime Minister who says that she doesn't accept that there is a difference between a hard and a soft Brexit,' he told BBC Radio Four's Today programme.
'I think she is pretending that difficult choices that the Government has to make simply don't exist. If she doesn't know what a hard Brexit is, let me tell her what it is: it's when UK goods suddenly face tariffs of as much 10 per cent or more in our biggest export market...
'There are no clicky finger solutions to these issues, but not even to acknowledge the difficult choices that have to be made, I think is very worrying indeed.'
Arch-Remainer Lord Mandelson accused Mrs May of seeking 'clicky fingers' solutions
Mrs May briefed the Cabinet on her vision this morning before delivering her speech.
At the top of the list of her 12 objectives is a commitment to regain control of the UK's borders with a visa regime for EU workers and a pledge to restore British sovereignty by no longer being subject to the rulings of the European Court of Justice.
Mrs May will also set out her determination to create the maximum trading opportunities for Britain with the EU and the rest of the world; make the UK an attractive destination for investment and study; and protect and enhance workers' rights.
The list includes securing a deal that will allow the three million EU citizens living in Britain to stay here, with a reciprocal arrangement for Britons living abroad.
In a bid to ease tensions north of the border, the PM will also make a specific commitment to 'preserve the Union' with Scotland by securing a Brexit that works for those on both sides of the border.
Downing Street yesterday made it clear that, while Mrs May will be seeking the best possible deal with the EU, the country will not lie down if Brussels refuses a deal.
Chancellor Philip Hammond has threatened to slash business taxes if the EU will not reach agreement on tariff-free trade. The tactic has been dubbed a trade war.
Mrs May will tell the audience in London's Lancaster House: 'A little over six months ago the British people voted for change. They voted to shape a brighter future for our country.
Berlin and Brussels reacted with fury yesterday to a prediction by Mr Trump that the EU could begin to fall apart
'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 toward a brighter future for their children – and their grandchildren too.
'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.
'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. A country that gets out into the world to build relationships with old friends and new allies alike.
'I want Britain to be what we have the potential and ambition to be: a great, global trading nation that is respected around the world and strong, confident and united at home.'
Yesterday, Berlin and Brussels reacted with fury to a prediction by Mr Trump that the EU could begin to fall apart – with other countries quitting the bloc in protest at mass immigration. Mrs May will strike a far more conciliatory tone, saying it remains 'overwhelmingly and compellingly in Britain's national interest that the EU should succeed'.
She will state: 'Our vote to leave the European Union was no rejection of the values we share. The decision to leave the EU represents no desire to become more distant to you, our friends and neighbours.
'We will continue to be reliable partners, willing allies and close friends. We want to buy your goods, sell you ours, trade with you as freely as possible, and work with one another to make sure we are all safer, more secure and more prosperous through continued friendship.'
CARNEY AND IMF EAT MORE HUMBLE PIE AS ECONOMY KEEPS ON BOOMING
Households have defied doom-mongers by continuing to splash out after the Brexit vote, the governor of the Bank of England said last night
Households have defied doom-mongers by continuing to splash out after the Brexit vote, the governor of the Bank of England said last night. Mark Carney, who has been accused of taking part in the Project Fear campaign against Brexit, admitted the economy has fared better than expected.
Figures from the IMF, which had warned against leaving the EU, yesterday showed Britain was the fastest growing major economy in the developed world last year.
The global watchdog said the UK's 2 per cent growth in 2016 outpaced the other Group of Seven leading industrialised nations – the United States, Japan, Canada, Germany, France and Italy.
The IMF said it now expects Britain's economy to grow by 1.5 per cent this year. It forecast 1.1 per cent in October. 'Domestic demand held up better than expected in the aftermath of the Brexit vote,' the Fund said.
IMF chief Christine Lagarde had warned Britain's prospects following a Leave vote would be 'pretty bad to very, very bad'.
Mr Carney put the strength of the UK economy down to British consumers – adding that the 'flexibility and dynamism' of the economy stood the country in good stead for the future as 'new opportunities with the rest of the world open up'.
'Households appear to be entirely looking through Brexit-related uncertainties,' he said in a speech at the London School of Economics. The comments marked yet another U-turn from the Bank and its governor, who before the referendum warned a vote to leave the EU could trigger a recession.
Mark Carney, who has been accused of taking part in the Project Fear campaign against Brexit, admitted the economy has fared better than expected
He said the economy was 'increasingly consumption-led' and warned rising prices could dampen spending this year.
Last August the Bank slashed its growth forecasts for 2017 to 0.8 per cent, having cut interest rates to a new low of 0.25 per cent. But in November it was forced to admit the outlook was far brighter – and it raised its prediction for this year to 1.4 per cent.
Mr Carney last week hinted that a further upgrade could follow next month as he conceded 'the immediate risks around Brexit have gone down for the UK'.
Speaking last night, he added: 'Over the autumn, demand growth remained more resilient than had been expected, particularly consumer spending and to a lesser extent the housing market.'
He noted that the financial markets had been 'less sanguine' – and pointed to the fall in the pound since the Brexit vote.
'Ultimately, the tension between consumer strength on the one hand and the more pessimistic expectations of markets on the other will be resolved,' he said.
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Nigel Farage ✔ 
