Eleanor Service |
Theresa May has warned that Britain may be facing “difficult times” as a result of the recent decision to leave the European Union.
Speaking to the Andrew Marr Show – in her first major interview since taking office – May warned that it will not be “plain sailing”.
May said that formal EU talks will not commence until next year, but promised that the process will not be “kicked into the long grass”.
She also dismissed the idea of a snap election, saying the UK is in need of “stability”.
May moved from home secretary to Prime Minister, following Cameron’s resignation after the EU Referendum.
May’s first years in office are likely to be dominated by Brexit, meaning she may be facing many struggles in coming years.
Despite positive economic figures in the UK following the referendum, May said she would not make out that departing the EU will be “plain sailing”. The PM revealed all this as she spoke before her trip to China for the G20 Summit.
She said,
“We have had some good figures and better figures than some had predicted would be the case. I’m not going to pretend that it’s all going to be plain sailing.”
“I think we must be prepared for the fact that there may be some difficult times ahead. But what I am is optimistic.”
She asserted that Britain would “make a success” of departing the EU. She also said she was “optimistic” about new opportunities for Britain outwith the EU.
She said she wanted,
“an independent Britain, forging our own way in the world”.
Before the summit May met with US President Obama to have talks. In a following press release, President Obama said that the US would “consult closely” with the UK over Brexit negotiations to make sure that there were no “adverse effects” in the US-UK trading relationship.
He said,
“We’re going to do everything we can to make sure that the consequences of the decision don’t end up unravelling what is already a very strong and robust economic relationship that can become even stronger in the future.”
Obama said that preceding that though it would be important to work out “what Brexit means for Europe”.
He issued a denial regarding suggestions that earlier this year he had threatened to “punish” the UK if it voted to leave the EU when he said the UK would go to the “back of the queue” for US trade deals.
However, he did say that those comments, made in April, had been responding to suggestions that Brexit effects would be “minimal”.
In her BBC interview, the PM said the referendum result had revealed that the voters didn’t want “free movement to continue in the way that it has done in the past”.
With regards to Article 50, May said ministers were looking at “options” for new EU migration controls.
“People also want to see the job opportunities, to see the economic opportunities, and so getting a good deal in trading goods and services is also obviously important for us,” she added.
Obviously we expect May to have Britain’s best interests at heart, and she has iterated time and time again that she is looking for “stability” for the country. We do have to be realistic though. May is staring down one of the biggest issues in British history, one that has never occurred before. This early in her premiership, it has lead to doubts over whether she is able to cope with such an event.
Although, only time will tell the fate of Britain, and how well May will lead Britain.
