May meets French PM after pledging not to 'cherry-pick' in Brexit talks
The PM strikes a conciliatory tone on negotiations in a news article ahead of meeting her French counterpart Bernard Cazeneuve.
Friday 17 February 2017 14:58, UK
Theresa May is attempting to woo the French government with a pledge that Britain will not seek to "cherry-pick" parts of EU membership after Brexit.
The Prime Minister hosted French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve for talks at Downing Street, and ahead of those discussions she promised to respect the EU's desire to keep freedom of movement.
Mrs May said she was "delighted" to welcome Mr Cazeneuve and pointed out that they "worked so well together" when she was home secretary and he was France's interior minister.
She continued: "It's an interesting time, obviously for the UK, as we prepare to trigger Article 50 for leaving the European Union.
"But there are many issues on which the UK and France have been working very well and our bilateral relationship is very strong and I look forward to being able to develop that across a number of areas, including of course, our defence and security."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel "We will not allow any cherry-picking.
"The four basic freedoms must be safeguarded - freedom of movement for people, goods, services and financial market products. Only then can there be access to the single market."
In an article for the French newspaper Le Figaro ahead of her meeting with her French counterpart, Mrs May struck a conciliatory tone on the Brexit negotiations and responded to the "cherry picking" charge.
"As we leave the EU, we will seek the greatest possible access to the European single market through a new, comprehensive, bold, ambitious free trade agreement," she wrote.
"This cannot, however, mean retaining membership of the single market.
"President Hollande and other European leaders have been very clear that this would mean accepting the 'four freedoms' of goods, capital, services and people and I respect their position.
"Britain understands that EU leaders want to continue with the process of integration."
And she continued: "We do not, to borrow the phrase, seek to cherry-pick which bits of membership we desire."
Mrs May also highlighted French interest in a good Brexit deal, pointing out that the UK is France's fifth-largest export market with bilateral trade worth more than €50bn last year.
"UK companies are responsible for an estimated 230,000 jobs in France, and French companies for about 370,000 jobs in the UK," she added.
Mrs May also stressed the UK will remain an "open and tolerant" country and that French people will "always be welcome in Britain".
She reiterated her aim of guaranteeing the rights of EU nationals already in the UK, including more than 300,000 French people, and said she hopes France will do the same for Britons living there.
"I will make securing this reciprocal agreement a priority as soon as the negotiations begin, because this is in everyone's interests," she said.
In the article, Mrs May highlighted "vital" co-operation on security and defence and said in the wake of "horrific" terror attacks over the past two years, Britain will "continue to stand shoulder to shoulder" with France "as a staunch ally and a great friend".