Brexit: Theresa May demands early talks on Britain leaving the EU

EXCLUSIVE: Frontrunner for PM presses Juncker for advance talks on quitting EU
Theresa May said slashing immigration to the tens of thousands each year was 'sustainable'
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Theresa May today squared up to Brussels boss Jean-Claude Juncker by demanding early talks on Britain’s exit from the European Union.

In an exclusive interview with the Evening Standard, the frontrunner to become Prime Minister showed a flash of steel by insisting on informal discussions first - something that the other 27 EU leaders have refused.

“In the European negotiations I have been involved in, you often have preliminary talks before you actually reach the formal position,” pointed out Mrs May, adding: “This will be a point of discussion.”

Speaking to editor Sarah Sands, Mrs May set out a series of tough messages to Europe - and joked about her dour image. With Conservative MPs gathering for their first round in the ballot to choose David Cameron’s successor, the Home Secretary revealed:

  • France will be warned that it would be against its interests to attempt to move the border from Calais to Dover, a move that threatens to increase the number of desperate migrants trying to cross the Channel.

  • A May government would keep David Cameron’s goal of slashing immigration in the long term to “tens of thousands”, a level she said was “sustainable”.

  • Talks to defend passporting rights allowing the City of London to trade freely in the EU would be a priority in Brexit negotiations. 

  • Boris Johnson and Michael Gove might both serve in a unity Cabinet. She said: “I think it is hugely important as a party that we come together ... We are not Leavers or Remainers now, we are Conservatives in Government with a job to do.”

The Bank of England today relaxed funding rules for banks to boost lending by up to £150 billion as it warned of a “challenging” outlook for financial stability.

Mrs May’s resolve to make major EU leaders sit down and discuss Britain’s exit terms in a “sensible” way comes a week after David Cameron was set home early from a summit in Brussels while the other 27 leaders talked about the impact of Brexit without him.

Mr Juncker, the president of the Brussels commission, imposed a “presidential ban” to stop commissioners from talking to UK government officials until a formal two-year exit timetable is triggered by the British Prime Minister moving Article 50.

Mr Juncker told MEPs he would not even allow informal talks before Article 50, saying: “There can be no preliminary discussions. “No notification, no negotiation. I don’t think we should condone shadow boxing or cat and mouse games.”

But Mrs May said: “I would hope that we would see that everybody recognises it is not just for the UK’s benefit but actually for the benefit of the EU that we have sensible discussions that are undertaken in a good spirit of willingness to get a deal that is right for us but also a sensible deal for the EU.”

Responding to a threat by Alain Juppé, the frontrunner to win the French presidential election next year, to end the Le Touquet deal that allows Britain to maintain border controls in Calais, she was confident that she could persuade France to back off.

She said Bernard Cazeneuve, the interior minister, “recognises ... that the current arrangements work for both countries.

“There is, as you say, a body of political opinion in France that takes a different view,” she admitted. “As Prime Minister I would want to be sitting down with my French opposite number and talking about the benefits not just to the UK but to France.”

On the critical issue of immigration, Mrs May cautioned people not to expect immediate falls in numbers because there was no “silver bullet”. Asked what sort of levels would be sustainable, she said: “We’ve consistently said that sustainable level is the tens of thousands.

“But obviously this does take time and you’re dealing on the situation where regardless of the rules you put in place, there are other factors that come into play. We were getting net migration down – and then the economy started doing better than many other economies and we saw it going up again.”

On the searing row over whether EU nationals will be allowed to stay in the UK after Brexit - which has seen critics accuse Mrs May of using them as a “bargaining chip” - the Home Secretary said she would only give a guarantee if British ex-pats in the EU were offered the same rights.

“I want to be able to guarantee the legal status of EU nationals who are living in the UK, and I am confident we will be able to do that,” she said.

“But we must also win the same rights for British nationals living in European countries, and it will be an early negotiating objective for the Government to achieve those things together.”

All four of Mrs Maty’s rivals - Michael Gove, Liam Fox, Andrea Leadsom and Stephen Crabb - say they would guarantee residency the three million EU citizens in Britain.

Shecame under fire today from Mr Crabb who said: “The idea that we will be at some kind of Checkpoint Charlie scenario where we are arguing over trading people living in each other’s countries - that is not going to happen.”

He said they should be given guarantees now rather than waiting for negotiations over the fate of 1.2 million Britons living in other EU countries.

At a hustings with MPs last night Mrs May strongly defended herstance.

All four of Mrs May’s rivals - Michael Gove, Liam Fox, Andrea Leadsom and Stephen Crabb - say they would guarantee residency the three million EU citizens in Britain.

On the City’s vital passporting rights for trading in the eurozone, Mrs May said she aimed to maintain all “the advantages that the City has”. But asked how she could achieve it, she replied opaquely: “I can’t give away any part of the negotiating strategy.”

Asked if she would give a Cabinet job to Boris Johnson, with whom she has clashed over his anti-riot water cannon and over Europe, she appeared to hint he could be allowed in her tent, saying: “I’m not speculating about individuals … other than that I would want to bring Leavers and Remainers together.”

But she flatly ruled out any role for Ukip’s outgoing leader Nigel Farage: “Absolutely not, no. There will be no deals with Ukip or anybody around Ukip.”

Mrs May laughed off Nick Clegg’s jibe that she cannot do small talk, saying: “I’m trying to think of any occasion on which Nick tried to engage me in small talk!”

She came under fire today from Mr Crabb on the EU nationals. He said: “The idea that we will be at some kind of Checkpoint Charlie scenario where we are arguing over trading people living in each other’s countries - that is not going to happen.”

He said they should be given guarantees now rather than waiting for negotiations over the fate of 1.2 million Britons living in other EU countries.

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