Theresa May has indicated that Britain will leave the EU single market as she set out her determination to strike a post-Brexit trading deal that allows her to control immigration from the rest of Europe.
Mrs May said she was not interested in trying to “keep bits of membership” of the EU, rather that she wanted a bespoke British deal with the rest of Europe that delivered “the best possible deal for UK companies”.
The prime minister’s allies admit the EU will not allow Britain to stay a member of the single market, given that Mrs May has already said that controlling immigration and ending European Court of Justice jurisdiction were red lines.