Comment
ANDREA LEADSOM
My three No Deal Brexit steps out of the EU and into a great future for Britain
I AM standing to be the Leader of the Conservative Party and the next Prime Minister to provide the decisive leadership that will deliver our exit from the EU, and seize the bright future that awaits us.
I campaigned passionately for Leave in the 2016 referendum and share the frustration of millions that the promise made three years ago has not been kept.
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It is vital that we leave the EU by October 31, without any further extension to that deadline.
The EU tell us they will not reopen the Withdrawal Agreement. I take them at their word - so on that basis the Withdrawal Agreement Bill is dead.
Instead, I have a pragmatic three-step plan - a plan to deliver Brexit in a way that protects citizens of the UK and the EU, delivers certainty to businesses, and maintains the integrity of our United Kingdom.
No more prevaricating. No more fearmongering. And no more limbo. Just compassionate and decisive action that demonstrates leadership.
Step 1 – Exit Measures
My first step will be to take sensible measures to enshrine certain agreements into law, and to protect our people.
I will immediately introduce key legislation to address this.
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First, I will introduce a citizens’ rights bill. EU citizens who have built lives here, and UK citizens who have made their homes in the EU must have the weight of uncertainty lifted from their shoulders.
Second, I will introduce a bill that locks in the mutually beneficial measures that have already been agreed between the UK and EU.
This will cover areas like citizens’ rights in Gibraltar, our sovereign bases overseas, security and intelligence-sharing relationships, transport, data, and medicines.
It is in everyone’s interest to put these agreed arrangements in place, and I believe many MPs would support this, regardless of how they voted in the referendum.
Step 2 – Confidence and Certainty
The second step is to give businesses and industry the confidence and certainty they need to plan for a managed exit. I want them to be able to invest, hire, and innovate with renewed optimism.
So we will ramp up preparations for our managed exit, focusing efforts on delivering alternative arrangements for the Northern Ireland border with the EU.
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Our continued strong bond with Northern Ireland will be protected.
There are some sensitive sectors that rely upon ‘just-in-time’ supply chains, like automotive and aerospace. I know how important these are, and we will propose specific regulatory agreements with the EU for these.
For other industries, like medicines and agri-foods, we will seek specific customs agreements on tariffs and non-tariff barriers. This will protect trade in the most vital goods and services but allow us to embrace new free trade deals around the world.
At the core of this work will be open communication to Parliament, the public, and EU colleagues about progress, to build an environment of confidence and certainty. Parliament will receive regular updates, and households and businesses will receive communication from government that provides clear information about our managed exit.
Transparency will be at the heart of everything I do - it’s what parliament expects, and it’s what the public deserves.
Step 3 – Managing our Departure
The third step will be to lead a delegation of UK Ministers to meet with the EU Council and the proposed new EU Commissioners, to talk directly about the wide-ranging preparations we are making for a managed exit on October 31.
Discussions will culminate in a UK/EU summit, in September, in Belfast and Dublin, where the EU Council and proposed Commission will be invited to agree which measures we will all accept, to ensure a properly managed exit.
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As Prime Minister, I will not advocate an extension of any kind, and it will be clear that in all circumstances the UK will leave the EU at the end of October. With comprehensive arrangements in place, we will be prepared for any eventuality.
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We owe it to the country, and to our strong democratic tradition, to fulfil the instruction that our voters gave us.
I am a passionate, pragmatic and positive believer in Brexit, and with my three-step plan, we can decisively leave the EU. We can demonstrate to the world that the UK remains a beacon for opportunity, fairness and democratic leadership. We can restore that vital trust between politics and the people.
It’s not too late to take advantage of the opportunities we hoped for in voting Leave. It’s time to look forward; we have an incredibly bright future ahead of us.
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Britain would be out of EU by now if we had a real Brexiteer as PM, Andrea Leadsom says
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