Theresa May avoids questions about whether a post-Brexit Britain will remain in the EU single market
Prime Minister says she wants Britain to 'become the global leader in free trade'
THERESA May has angered MPs by vowing to keep silent about her Brexit plans so as not to blow Britain’s negotiating hand.
The PM faced a barrage of demands from all sides of the Commons yesterday to spell out more of her post-EU vision for Britain.
Former Tory business minster Anna Soubry called on her to name the government’s “principles”.
But Mrs May also refused repeated bids from Labour and the SNP to even say whether she wants the UK to remain a member of the single market, Europe’s free trade zone.
Updating MPs on the G20 summit, Mrs May said: “We will not take decisions until we are ready.
“We will not reveal our hand prematurely and we will not provide a running commentary on every twist and turn of the negotiations.”
Ministers need more time to decide what the best new relationship is with the EU, she added.
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said: “The Government isn’t concealing it’s hand - it hasn’t got a hand, or a clue”.
But in a new sign of a widening Cabinet rift, Chancellor Philip Hammond yesterday pledged to stand up for financial services who are desperate to keep access to the single market.
His promise stands in stark contrast to Brexit Secretary David Davis, who told MPs on Monday that it was “very improbably” the UK would stay a member of the zone.
Jeremy Corbyn was slammed by his own MPs last night for revealing he was against keeping the UK in the single market.
A spokesman for the Labour leader said: “There are aspects of it that Jeremy has campaigned against”.
And the PM also came under fire last night for quoting a Twitter user who has expressed controversial views and used offensive language on social media.