Star comment: May going forth with hard Brexit

There won't be the sort of fudged compromise that David Cameron met before June's referendum.

There won't be complicated negotiations about keeping bits that are favourable to the UK.

Brexit means Brexit. And Out means Out. Prime Minister Theresa May has provided the clearest indication yet of how Britain will look when its membership of the EU ends.

We are heading for a hard Brexit. The message is simple: we're going it alone.

Leave campaigners wanted control over our borders and the right for British courts to make our laws. We'll get it.

And the 52 per cent who voted for Brexit will no doubt applaud the clarity that Mrs May has provided.

They will also, no doubt, appreciate Mrs May's statement that Britain will not sign a deal at any cost.

While the news will not necessarily be greeted with the same gusto by some businesses, they can at least start to make plans. They know that the existing single market access is coming to an end and while the Government will push for tariff-free trade, they will make contingencies in the event of those negotiations failing.

Mrs May will be hoping she has finally ended the European argument among her own party.

The unhappy Eurosceptics who for so long have caused disruption have finally won the day.

It is helpful, of course, that USA President Elect Donald Trump has already signalled his intent to push through a trade deal with the UK.

We can but hope that he will be as good as his word and that such a deal would be beneficial to both sides.

And many people will now be working on securing similar tariff-free deals with countries around the world.

It will take many years for Britain to make the adjustment and although Mrs May has painted a picture of an orderly Brexit the reality is there will no doubt be difficulties along the way.

And only time will tell whether the 52 per cent were correct in thinking Britain would be better off without the EU than it is being a part of it.