UK must develop new trading model, PM says

LONDON

Britain will develop a new model for its relations with Europe to ensure it retains single-market access while restricting freedom of movement, Prime Minister Theresa May has said.

May said she retained an “open mind” about her country’s trading relationships following the decision to leave the European Union and that the ultimate solution may not necessarily be “a model that’s on the shelf already”.

She said at a joint news conference with her Italian counterpart Matteo Renzi in Rome: “We had a very clear message from the British people in the Brexit vote that they want us to bring in some control on free movement; they don't want free movement rules for movement of people from the European Union member states into the U.K. to operate as they have done in the past.

“And we will deliver on that.

“But on the other side we do, of course, need to ensure that we get the best possible deal in relation to trade in goods and services.”

The two leaders were meeting for the first time since Britain voted to leave the European Union and May succeeded David Cameron as prime minister.

Renzi said he had been “saddened” by the U.K.’s decision to leave but added it was in “everybody’s interest” to ensure Brexit succeeded.

He said: “We must ensure that everything is as clear as possible. We must rid ourselves of uncertainties with regard to the decision that was made by the United Kingdom to leave the institutions of the 28 countries of the European Union.

“It's a decision that was made by the British people and we respect it, however painful it is. Now we have to deal with it with common sense.”

British people voted last month by a 52-48 percent margin to leave EU but the process will not begin until the U.K. government invokes Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon, the formal mechanism for exiting.

May has previously hinted the article may not be invoked until early 2017.