Theresa May's 'thoughtful' Brexit speech welcomed by Shropshire and Mid Wales MPs

Theresa MayMay told an audience including EU diplomats that she expected Britain to leave the European single market and to take control of immigration policy, although she said Britain would maintain its common travel area with the Republic of Ireland.

Mark Pritchard, MP for The Wrekin, described the speech as well-considered and thoughtful. "I think it right that Parliament has a vote on the final Brexit deal. The key is to protect Shropshire jobs and investment."

Telford MP Lucy Allan said Mrs May had set a clear and definitive vision for Britain's future outside of the EU. "Regaining control of our borders was a cornerstone of the leave campaign and I am pleased that the Prime Minister is honouring this," she said.

"Her statement that we will be leaving the single market indicates that there will not be a fudge or a deal done regarding the unrestricted free movement of people, which was a key issue for voters."

North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson has hailed the Prime Minister for an "excellent speech" as she outlined details of her plan for Brexit.

He said: "When 17.4 million people voted to leave the EU, we made it absolutely clear in the campaign that meant leaving the single market with all its constraints and barriers, but wanting free trade with Europe and the rest of the world."

He said while the single market was important, and Britain wanted access to it, there were also 20 countries whose trade with member states had grown at a faster rate from outside the market than Britain's had from within.

He added that British sales within the single market had fallen from 65 per cent in 1999, to 42 per cent today, and were set to drop as low as 35 per cent in the near future.

He said: "Theresa May has made it very clear we want access to the single market, but she sees the world growing, that's our real long-term future."

Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies also praised the speech, saying it went further than he had expected. "It gave us a lot of clarity on where we are going," he said. "She promised us a vote for MPs and peers before leaving the EU, and I think that is important from a democratic point of view."

"She accepted the logic of leaving the single market, which is something a lot of us have been calling for.

"I think she quite strongly made it clear to the European Union that if they take action that damages Britain, we won't be taking it lying down."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn however accused the Prime Minister of playing a reckless game which could put jobs at risk. He said: "Theresa May has made clear that she is determined to use Brexit to turn Britain into a bargain basement tax haven on the shores of Europe.

"She makes out this is a negotiating threat to the 27 EU countries but it's actually a threat to the British people's jobs, services and living standards."w

"We welcome that the Prime Minister has listened to the case we've been making about the need for full tariff-free access to the single market but are deeply concerned about her reckless approach to achieving it."

Mr Corbyn also said Mrs May's speech should have been made in the House of Commons where MPs could ask her questions on behalf of their constituents.

"She talks about Brexit restoring parliamentary sovereignty but, once again, she is determined to avoid real scrutiny of her plans," he said.