Delivering her speech at the EU Summit, British Prime
Minister Theresa May declared that now is the time to trigger Article 50, which
is formal process of notifying the EU of the UK’s exit of the union. Some analysts
have also suggested that the PM may trigger Article 50 early as next week Tuesday.
Her speech yesterday may likely be the last before Article
50 is triggered, as she stated that the UK was on the edge of a “defining
moment” and ready to “forge a new role in the world”.
The PM also indicated her resolve to repel any attempt by
Brussels to hit the UK with a swingeing “divorce” bill of up to £52billion as a
punishment for voting to leave.
Mrs May’s comments came as members of her cabinet organized
to amicably settle the parliamentary wrangle concerning Brexit Bill between MPs
and peers next week Monday.
After which she will be addressing the House of Commons
about the EU summit yesterday the next being Tuesday. A day when some have
predicted she will trigger Article 50 to begin formal exit negotiation with the
EU.
The PM stated that “Our European partners have made clear to
me they want to get on with the negotiation and so do I,” she said.
“It’s time to get on with leaving the European Union and
building the independent, self-governing, global Britain the British people
have called for. And so, I have said, we will trigger Article 50 by the end of
this month.
“This will be a defining moment for the UK as we begin the
process of forging a new role for ourselves in the world as a strong country
with control over our borders and our laws.”
She also pledged that a new global Britain “will stand tall
in the world”. And she backed up a call from Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson
for her to show the fighting spirit of her predecessor Margaret Thatcher in
facing down “unreasonable” cash demands from Brussels.
“Let me be very clear – there is only ever one Margaret
Thatcher,” she said. “But when people voted on June 23 for us to leave the
European Union, they voted for us to not pay huge sums of money into the EU
every year – and of course when we leave the EU that will be the case.”
Earlier Mr Johnson had made a demand for the PM to follow
the Iron Lady’s example in a BBC documentary.
And when asked about the EU demands, he said: “I think we
have illustrious precedent in this matter.
I think you can recall the 1984 Fontainebleau summit in
which Mrs Thatcher said she wanted her money back. And I think that is exactly
what we will get.”
Mr Johnson added: “It is not reasonable, I don’t think, for
the UK having left the EU to continue to make vast budget payments. I think
everybody understands that.”
Just yesterday, Irish premier Enda Kenny also indicated his
support for plans to hit Britain with a big exit bill.
While granting interview to some journalists as he arrived
at the summit, Mr Kenny said: “When you sign on for a contract you commit
yourself to participation. Obviously the extent of that level of money will be
determined. It’s a problem that will have to be dealt with and it will be dealt
with.”
At the summit, Mrs May also pressed other EU leaders to try
to stop another migration crisis spreading across the Mediterranean over the
coming months.
At her news conference, the Prime Minister said: “I’ve made
clear we must do more to tackle the vile people-smuggling rings who profit from
the migrants’ misery.
“We need a managed, controlled and truly global approach. We
need to help ensure refugees claim asylum in the first safe country they reach
and help those countries support the refugees so they don’t have to make the
perilous journey to Europe.
“And we need a better overall approach to managing economic
migration, one which recognises that all countries have the right to control
their borders.”
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