Reacting to Theresa May’s Brexit speech, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said:
Theresa May is leading the UK towards a hard Brexit that was never on the ballot paper. This is a theft of democracy, a presumption that the 51.9% of people who voted to leave meant the most extreme version of Brexit available.
The BBC reports further remarks from Tim:
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron says Mrs May has adopted “Nigel Farage’s Brexit plan” which is bad news for the UK, accusing the prime minister of “waving the white flag across the white cliffs of Dover” regarding single market exit.
He says there has been a “theft of democracy” and it is wrong for Parliament to be given a vote on this “stitch-up” and the public not being consulted.
The main points of Theresa May’s speech are:
- She says the UK will leave the single market but seek access to it with barriers or tarrifs
- UK wants bespoke free trade deal with the EU
- MPs and peers to get vote on final Brexit deal
- The UK is to start official process of leaving in EU in March
- The Common Travel area in Ireland will be a priority
- She ruled out a long transitional arrangement but said there could be individual interim arrangements to minimise disruption to certain sectors of the economy.
- The UK will seek a bespoke customs agreement with the EU
* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and councillor. As part of the Liberal Democrat Voice team he helps with photos and moderation on the site, as well as occsionally contributing articles. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
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