#publisher alternate (BUTTON) Close Skip to main content sign in * Comment activity * Edit profile * Email preferences * Change password * Sign out become a supporter subscribe search jobs dating more from the guardian: * dating * jobs change edition: * switch to the UK edition switch to the US edition switch to the AU edition International * switch to the UK edition * switch to the US edition * switch to the Australia edition The Guardian * home * › world * › europe * US * americas * asia * australia * africa * middle east * cities * development * home * UK * world * sport * football * opinion * culture * business * lifestyle * fashion * environment * tech * travel browse all sections close EU referendum and Brexit Restricting immigration will be at heart of Brexit deal, Theresa May says PM and cabinet also confirm at Chequers meeting that MPs will not get vote before article 50 is triggered Theresa May chairs a meeting of the cabinet at the prime minister’s country retreat Chequers. Theresa May chairs a meeting of the cabinet at the prime minister’s country retreat, Chequers. Photograph: Mark Richards/AFP/Getty Images Anushka Asthana Political editor Wednesday 31 August 2016 18.20 BST Last modified on Sunday 11 September 2016 16.34 BST * Share on Facebook * Share on Twitter * Share via Email * (BUTTON) View more sharing options * Share on LinkedIn * Share on Pinterest * Share on Google+ * Share on WhatsApp * Share on Messenger * * (BUTTON) Close This article is 5 months old Theresa May has agreed with her cabinet that restricting immigration will be a red line in any negotiations with the EU, in a move that experts claim will end Britain’s membership of the single market. The prime minister and her team, who met at Chequers – the PM’s country retreat – also confirmed that MPs will not be given a vote before the government triggers article 50, beginning the two-year countdown to a British exit. What the UK decides it wants from Brexit may not be what it gets Read more “There was a strong emphasis on pushing ahead to article 50 to lead Britain successfully out of the European Union – with no need for a parliamentary vote,” May’s spokeswoman said, before setting out how restrictions to freedom of movement would be at the centre of any Brexit deal. “Several cabinet members made it clear that we are leaving the EU but not leaving Europe, with a decisive view that the model we are seeking is one unique to the United Kingdom and not an off-the-shelf solution,” she said. “This must mean controls on the numbers of people who come to Britain from Europe but also a positive outcome for those who wish to trade goods and services.” May began the session, which is the first cabinet meeting since the summer break, by telling her ministers that there will be “no attempts to stay in the EU by the back door”. She said that meant no second referendum, before restating the slogan from the early part of her premiership: “Brexit means Brexit”. Her spokeswoman said the group also had a long discussion on their commitment to the devolved nations of the UK, promising to “make sure Brexit works for all”. However, they made clear that it would be the UK government’s decision to establish the terms of Britain’s EU exit and when it would begin, ruling out any possibility of a Scottish veto. The Brexit debate needs more tolerance on both sides | Michael White Read more Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, said immigration controls meant Britain’s Brexit deal would not be along the lines of that used for Norway or Switzerland. Instead, it put the UK on track for a Canada-style agreement, with free trade for manufactured goods but not necessarily for services. “People have been assuming there will have to be restrictions on immigration of some sort, either an emergency brake, or an Australian-style points system for European workers,” he said. “Whatever system we go for it is going to be unacceptable to our partners if we want access to the single market. We will only have limited access to the single market and have to content ourselves with a free trade agreement, which would not cover many of our key services sectors including financial services.” Facebook Twitter Pinterest Theresa May tells cabinet ‘no back door attempts to stay in EU’ The foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, has suggested that Britain could retain membership of the EU with restrictions on freedom of movement but European diplomats have responded by calling it a “pipe dream”. Officials in Johnson’s department are some of the most keen in Whitehall to remain as close to Europe as possible, while those in the Treasury are also pushing hard for single market access in particular sectors such as financial services. David Davis, secretary of state for the newly created Department for Exiting the EU, has claimed that European countries will offer Britain a good economic deal because it is in their interest to do so. Liam Fox, who will be leading trade efforts with the rest of the world, has argued that not being in the single market is a price worth paying for border control. Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, seized on the cabinet’s discussions about no vote for MPs and no veto for the devolved nations. “The country was dragged into this mess by a Tory party acting as a law unto themselves, and now they want to trust us to get them out of it, acting in exactly the same way,” she said. “It is sheer, high-handed arrogance for them to say they will take all the decisions themselves, with no consultation of parliament or the public, with the devolved administrations consulted but not listened to, and with the governments of London and Gibraltar now not even mentioned.” May and her team were keen to emphasise the idea that Britain would still be open for business and agreed to brand the first day of Tory conference as being about “global Britain – showing that we are more outward-looking than ever before”. During a presentation, Tory party chairman Patrick McLoughlin said the party would have the largest attendance in a decade for October’s event, and said the party’s membership had grown by 50,000 over the summer. The theme of the four-day gathering in Birmingham would be “a country that works for everyone”, he said, echoing the message delivered by May when she delivered a speech before entering Downing Street as prime minister for the first time. At Wednesday’s meeting at her country retreat, which stretched across much of the day, with a political session in the afternoon without civil servants, May praised the fantastic success of Team GB in the Olympics. She called it “absolutely great” and wished the country’s Paralympians well. The prime minister said she wanted to discuss social reform, arguing that a major priority was wanting “to be a government and a country that works for everyone”. “I want it to be a society where it’s the talent that you have and how hard you’re prepared to work that determines how you get on, rather than your background,” she said. And she insisted that the government had to discuss how “we can get tough on irresponsible behaviour in big business – again making sure that actually everyone is able to share in the country’s prosperity”. The ministers were keen to stress that their party was “united” and to contrast that with Labour, which the spokeswoman described as an “inward-looking and divided opposition”. The cabinet meeting came as a new ICM/Guardian poll gives the Conservatives a 14-point lead over the opposition, with May’s party up one point to 41%, while Labour has fallen one point to 27%. The survey had Ukip third with 13%, followed by the Liberal Democrats on 9%. The Tories’ strong lead could be underpinned by consumer confidence, according to ICM director Martin Boon, who said that while 53% of the public were confident in the measure of financial security, just 19% were not confident. Boris Johnson Facebook Twitter Pinterest Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, seated next to the prime minister, updated colleagues on the campaign against Islamic State in Syria, Iraq and Libya. Photograph: WPA Pool/Getty Images “The gap of +34 is well ahead of the +23 noted in March 2015 and indeed not beaten since June 2002. The rampant fears of Brexit appear to have manifestly failed to dent the hardy British consumer, at least for now,” he said. The economic outlook was also discussed at cabinet alongside a commitment to fiscal discipline and “seizing the opportunity of Brexit to confirm the UK’s place as one of the great trading nations in the world”. Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, who sat next to the prime minister, updated colleagues on the campaign against Islamic State in Syria, Iraq and Libya. “The foreign secretary highlighted the progress that had been made in squeezing the territory held by Daesh [Isis], with 40% reclaimed, as well as a fall in support for Daesh’s ideology around the world,” added a spokeswoman. * This story was amended on 31 August 2016 because Liam Fox’s stance on single market membership was misrepresented. __________________________________________________________________ More news Topics * EU referendum and Brexit * Theresa May * Immigration and asylum * Europe * Foreign policy * (BUTTON) More… * European Union * Emily Thornberry __________________________________________________________________ * Share on Facebook * Share on Twitter * Share via Email * Share on LinkedIn * Share on Pinterest * Share on Google+ * Share on WhatsApp * Share on Messenger * Reuse this content more on this story * Laura Kuenssberg says source told her the Queen backed Brexit BBC political editor reignites row over whether monarch spoke in favour of leaving EU prior to referendum Published: 26 Dec 2016 Laura Kuenssberg says source told her the Queen backed Brexit * Poorer voters' worries on immigration fuelled Brexit vote, study finds Joseph Rowntree Foundation research also showed general mistrust of politicians as voters are increasingly driven by emotion Published: 15 Dec 2016 Poorer voters' worries on immigration fuelled Brexit vote, study finds * Angela Merkel hints Brexit talks could include wriggle room on free movement German chancellor says EU cannot compromise with Britain on principle but signals willingness to discuss detail Published: 16 Nov 2016 Angela Merkel hints Brexit talks could include wriggle room on free movement * Brexit camp tried to toxify debate before referendum, MPs hear Campaigners accuse Boris Johnson and Arron Banks of fuelling rise in hate crimes by stoking tensions over immigration Published: 15 Nov 2016 Brexit camp tried to toxify debate before referendum, MPs hear * + Britain probably leaving EU customs union, says Boris Johnson Published: 15 Nov 2016 Britain probably leaving EU customs union, says Boris Johnson + May: UK will remain at centre of EU decision-making until Brexit Published: 21 Oct 2016 May: UK will remain at centre of EU decision-making until Brexit + Tory MP accuses government of 'tyranny' over Brexit strategy Published: 10 Oct 2016 Tory MP accuses government of 'tyranny' over Brexit strategy + Theresa May rules out Commons vote on single market exit Published: 9 Oct 2016 Theresa May rules out Commons vote on single market exit (BUTTON) More more on this story most viewed The Guardian back to top * home * UK * world * sport * football * opinion * culture * business * lifestyle * fashion * environment * tech * travel all sections close * home * UK + education + media + society + law + scotland + wales + northern ireland * world + europe + US + americas + asia + australia + africa + middle east + cities + development * sport + football + cricket + rugby union + F1 + tennis + golf + cycling + boxing + racing + rugby league * football + live scores + tables + competitions + results + fixtures + clubs * opinion + columnists * culture + film + tv & radio + music + games + books + art & design + stage + classical * business + economics + banking + retail + markets + eurozone * lifestyle + food + health & fitness + love & sex + family + women + home & garden * fashion * environment + climate change + wildlife + energy + pollution * tech * travel + UK + europe + US + skiing * money + property + savings + pensions + borrowing + careers * science * professional networks * the observer * today's paper + editorials & letters + obituaries + g2 + weekend + the guide + saturday review * sunday's paper + comment + the new review + observer magazine * membership * crosswords + blog + editor + quick + cryptic + prize + quiptic + genius + speedy + everyman + azed * video * World * › EU referendum and Brexit IFRAME: /email/form/footer/37 * Facebook * Twitter * Facebook * Twitter * all topics * all contributors * solve technical issue * complaints & corrections * terms & conditions * privacy policy * cookie policy * securedrop © 2017 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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