This week MPs have returned to Parliament following one of the busiest summer recesses of recent years. Dominating the Parliamentary agenda for the coming months will be the decision taken in June by the British people to leave the EU.
The Government, led by Theresa May MP, has been clear that “Brexit means Brexit” and far from making the best of a bad job, we will instead look to seize on the new opportunities that will come from Britain’s new place in the world. We are one of the greatest economies in the world and this was demonstrated both by last week’s industry growth figures and the news that Britain’s service sector – the largest single sector in our economy – has recorded its largest ever monthly rise. This is a clear sign that following the referendum, Britain is open for business with the world.
During the referendum campaign, I spoke to many residents about the importance of the Single Market for our economy. Many international companies, such as the car manufacturer Nissan, have chosen to invest in the UK because of our access to the Single Market and so retaining access to the Single Market is vital to our future. This ability to trade freely with our partners in Europe is a major reason why we have seen such success in investment in the Britain in recent years and contributed to the record employment figures released last month.
I welcome that the Government will be negotiating the best deal for Britain that reflects our unique place in the world, to deliver on the result of the referendum. This means that we must act on the concerns voiced by the public about free movement of people in the EU and deliver strong controls on migration, decided on by our Parliament alongside making sure we continue to be one of the best places in the world to do business.