Politics

Prime Minister at the Conservative Party conference

Key quotes


Conservative Party conference 2016 (Source: © 2016 Daren Frankish)
USPA NEWS - Theresa May has delivered her first speech to the Conservative Party conference since becoming UK prime minister. Conservative conference speech: Key quotes. Prime Minister to trigger Article 50 by end of March.
"Even now, some politicians - democratically-elected politicians - say that the referendum isn't valid, that we need to have a second vote.
"Others say they don't like the result, and they'll challenge any attempt to leave the European Union through the courts.
"But come on. The referendum result was clear. It was legitimate. It was the biggest vote for change this country has ever known. Brexit means Brexit - and we're going to make a success of it."
"We will not be able to give a running commentary or a blow-by-blow account of the negotiations, because we all know that isn't how they work.
"Every stray word and every hyped up media report is going to make it harder for us to get the right deal for Britain, so we have to stay patient."
"There will be no unnecessary delays in invoking Article 50. We will invoke it when we are ready. And we will be ready soon. We will invoke Article 50 no later than the end of March next year."
"Those people who argue that Article 50 can only be triggered after agreement in both Houses of Parliament are not standing up for democracy, they're trying to subvert it.
"They're not trying to get Brexit right, they're trying to kill it by delaying it. They are insulting the intelligence of the British people."

"Because we voted in the referendum as one United Kingdom, we will negotiate as one United Kingdom, and we will leave the European Union as one United Kingdom.
"There is no opt-out from Brexit. And I will never allow divisive nationalists to undermine the precious union between the four nations of our United Kingdom."
"Our laws will be made not in Brussels but in Westminster. The judges interpreting those laws will sit not in Luxembourg but in courts in this country. The authority of EU law in Britain will end."

"Existing workers' legal rights will continue to be guaranteed in law - and they will be guaranteed as long as I am prime minister."

"We are going to be a fully independent, sovereign country - a country that is no longer part of a political union with supranational institutions that can override national parliaments and courts."
"The process we are about to begin is not about negotiating all of our sovereignty away again...
"So it is not going to be a 'Norway model'. It's not going to be a 'Switzerland model'. It is going to be an agreement between an independent, sovereign United Kingdom and the European Union."

"We will do what independent, sovereign countries do. We will decide for ourselves how we control immigration. And we will be free to pass our own laws."
"We will seek the best deal possible as we negotiate a new agreement with the European Union.
"I want it to involve free trade, in goods and services. I want it to give British companies the maximum freedom to trade with and operate in the single market - and let European businesses do the same here."

"A truly global Britain is possible, and it is in sight. And it should be no surprise that it is.
"We don't need - as I sometimes hear people say - to 'punch above our weight'. Because our weight is substantial enough already."

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