How the UK will pull out of the EU

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a speech on leaving the European Union at Lancaster House in London

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a speech on leaving the European Union at Lancaster House in London

Published Jan 17, 2017

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London - Prime Minister Theresa May pledged to pull Britain out of the European Union’s single

market while staying inside parts of its customs union, saying the UK parliament

will get a vote on the final Brexit deal.

“I can confirm today that

the government will put the final deal that’s agreed between the UK and the EU

to a vote in both Houses of Parliament before it comes into force,” May said in

a speech to diplomats in London on Tuesday that was broadcast live in European

countries including Germany.

Laying out the government’s

Brexit plans in her most explicit description yet, May said that she was

confident a deal can be reached with the European Union once the trigger to

leave is invoked by the end of March. She called for a “phased approach” that

will seek “a smooth and orderly Brexit.”

Read also:  May keen on “differing views on Brexit

May offered a series of red

lines for the coming talks:

* “What I’m proposing can’t

mean membership of the single market.” Staying in the single market “would mean

to all intents and purposes not leaving the EU at all”

* “I do want us to have a

customs agreement with the EU. I want Britain

to be free to reach our own tariff schedules at the WTO”

* She said she wants to be

able to negotiate new trade deals* She wants transitional arrangements for

financial services

* No more UK contributions

to the EU budget

The prime minister didn’t

say what would happen if the parliamentary vote is lost. At that point, it

might be impossible to reverse the Brexit process, meaning the UK found itself

outside the EU without any agreement with the bloc

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