PM: Article 50 an '˜historic event'

Theresa May has described the letter that will trigger formal negotiations with the EU as 'one of the most important documents in recent history', as her Hard Brexit plans received the seal of approval from voters.
Prime Minister Theresa MayPrime Minister Theresa May
Prime Minister Theresa May

Elaborating on the memo that will kick-start the Article 50 process on March 29, Mrs May indicated her message to EU leaders will contain substantial detail of her negotiating intentions as she declared it will “set the tone” for Britain’s new relationship with Europe.

The pronouncement came as a new survey revealed strong support among voters for the Prime Minister’s Brexit agenda, including plans to pursue a free trade deal with the union and clamp down on European migration.

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It also came as Council President Donald Tusk sent a veiled warning to Number 10, as he claimed Brussels will do “everything” it can to make Britain’s “divorce” from the trading bloc “the least painful for the EU”.

Following the Government’s confirmation of the official date for the triggering of Article 50 on Monday, Mrs May has now set out further details of the letter she will send to the EU to begin the process.

Addressing ministers at Cabinet yesterday, she described it as “one of the most important documents in our country’s recent history”, adding that it will “set the tone for our new relationship with Europe and the world”.

Downing Street said ministers will meet again on March 29 to discuss the final contents of the letter, before it is sent to Brussels later that day.

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Mrs May said this moment will mark an “historic event” which will see Britain begin a “bold new chapter as a prosperous, open and global nation”.

Her comments came as Mr Tusk told a press conference in Brussels that Council leaders will meet on April 29 for an extraordinary summit to agree the guidelines for Brexit talks.

The first such meeting was initially due to take place on April 6, but it is understood the date was pushed back in response to Mrs May’s delay in triggering Article 50, meaning negotiations are unlikely to get underway before May.

Mr Tusk stated that his main priority for these talks will be to create “as much certainty and clarity as possible for all citizens, companies and member states that will be negatively affected by Brexit”.

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But hinting at the difficulties to come, he went on to say that officials “must do everything we can to make the process of divorce the least painful for the EU”.

A new House of Lords report has also highlighted some of the trade challenges that will need to be addressed over the next 18 months – in particular those facing the UK’s service sector .

The Lords European Union committee warns that WTO arrangements do not cover various aspects of non-financial services, and any new free trade deal with the continent must therefore factor in the needs of this “critical” industry.

However, a new survey by the research group NatCen has provided a source of good news for the Prime Minister, after it revealed most voters agree with Mrs May’s plans to maintain free trade with the European Union after Brexit (88 percent) while also ending the free movement of its citizens (68 percent).

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Support for these aims was particularly high among Conservative voters – the majority of whom prioritise curbing migration cover trade – but 57 percent of Labour voters surveyed also backed an end to freedom of movement.