PM signals doubt on UK single market membership

Theresa May has signalled further doubts about Britain's future membership of the single market post-Brexit, refusing to say if the issue will be a "red line" in negotiations.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, she said she wants the "right deal in terms of operating within and trading with" the EU, and told MPs the negotiations will seek the "maximum possible access".

In a fiery exchange, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn reminded the prime minister that she once said leaving the single market posed a risk to the UK economy.

He said the government has "no plans, no strategy, no clarity, no transparency or no chance of scrutiny" in negotiating the best deal and criticised Mrs May for pursuing a "shambolic Tory Brexit" to appease her backbenchers.

In exchanges dominated by the Brexit debate, Mrs May said: "What we are going to do is be ambitious in our negotiations to negotiate the best deal for the British people and that will include the maximum possible access to the European market for firms to trade with - and operate within - the European market.

"I'm also clear that the vote of the British people said we should control the movement of people from the EU into the UK, and unlike [Jeremy Corbyn] we believe we should deliver on what the British people want."

Mrs May also dismissed claims Parliament will not be informed of decisions around invoking Article 50, telling MPs: "The idea that parliament somehow wasn't going to be able to discuss, debate, question issues around [Article 50] was frankly completely wrong.

"Parliament's going to have every issue to debate this issue."

Mr Corbyn said the Government had "no plans for Brexit" and there had been "no clarity, no transparency, and no chance of scrutiny of the process for developing a strategy".

"Isn't it time for the government to stop running away from the looming threat to jobs and business in this country and living standards to millions of people?" he said.

The Prime Minister quipped back: "The shadow foreign secretary wants a second vote [on Brexit]. I have to say to her - I would've thought that Labour MP's would've this lesson - you can ask the same question again, you still get the answer you don't want."

Their blows came after Mrs May jokingly welcomed Jeremy Corbyn back to the dispatch box after being re-elected as Labour leader last month.

She said: "First of all, can I say... congratulations on winning the Labour leadership election, and I can welcome him back to his place in this house as his normal self."

To jeers, Jeremy Corbyn replied: "I am most welcome to the over 300,000 people that voted for me to become the leader of my party, which is rather more than voted for her to become leader of her party."

The prime minster also denied the government will not "name and shame" the number of foreign workers businesses will employ, under plans announced by Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

Mrs May told MPs the plan was "never a policy" and said: "There was no naming and shaming, no published list of foreign workers, no published data.

"What we are going to consult on is whether we should bring ourselves in line with countries like America, which kept data to be able to ensure that they're getting the right skills training for workers in their economy."

  • PMQ analysis by ITV News Political Correspondents

Carl Dinnen says Jeremy Corbyn had a "decent" PMQs on Wednesday, with Theresa May's "best lines" mocking him.

Meanwhile Paul Brand says Labour are putting together a "semblance of a decent opposition on EU negotiations", following Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions.

  • ITV News Political Correspondent Paul Brand reacts to PMQs