PM denies 'muddled thinking' over Brexit

The prime minister has denied the Government is suffering from "muddled thinking" over Britain's withdrawal from the European Union.

In an interview with Sky News' Sophy Ridge, Theresa May insisted she will be able to secure control over immigration to the UK as well as favourable trading terms with the EU during Brexit negotiations.

"Often people talk in terms as if somehow we are leaving the EU but we still want to kind of keep bits of membership of the EU," she said.

"We are leaving. We are coming out. We are not going to be a member of the EU any longer.

"So the question is what is the right relationship for the UK to have with the European Union when we are outside.

"We will be able to have control of our borders, control of our laws."

It comes after former EU ambassador Sir Ivan Rogers that the Government was suffering from "muddled thinking" over Brexit.

May said there was no 'muddled thinking' over Brexit Credit: PA

Mrs May also revealed that more details of the Government's plan for Brexit would be published over the "coming weeks."

She also insisted time had to be taken to forge the "right" post-Brexit relationship with the EU, and to secure the best trade deal for Britain with European countries.

The prime minister also said she would be able to secure control over immigration to the UK, but argued that the issue was not binary with trade.

She said she aimed to deliver a "really good, ambitious trade deal" that allows UK companies to "trade in and operate in the European single market".

"But of course we still want the best possible deal for us, companies to be able to trade, UK companies to be able to trade in and operate within the European Union and also European companies to be able to trade with the UK and operate within the UK," Mrs May added.

ITV News Political Correspondent Emily Morgan offers her analysis of Ms May's Brexit answers.

  • May rejects claims NHS in a humanitarian crisis

In the wide-ranging interview, Mrs May also addressed a claim by the Red Cross that the NHS is in a "humanitarian crisis."

With Red Cross forces drafted to help overburdened hospital and ambulance services across the UK, the Prime Minister accepted the NHS faces "huge" pressures.

But May stopped short of saying the health service was in even greater trouble.

May accepted the NHS faces 'significant' pressures Credit: PA

May said: "I don't accept the description the Red Cross has made of this."

"Yes there are huge pressures, but we recognise those pressures," she added.

ITV News Political Correspondent Emily Morgan offers her analysis of Ms May's Red Cross answers.

  • "Aging population pressurising NHS"

Despite rejecting the Red Cross's "humanitarian crisis" claim, May accepted the NHS faces "huge pressures."

She said that the UK's aging population was contributing to demands the health service already faces.

But the Prime Minister insisted that NHS funding was at "record levels."

"Yes there are significant pressures, but we recognise those pressures," she said.

"We asked the NHS a while back to set out what it needed over the next five years in terms of its plan for the future and the funding that it would need.

"So funding is now at record levels for the NHS, more money has been going in."

May added: "There are pressures in the NHS, we see those pressures.

"We have an ageing population, this brings pressures, particularly in the interface between the health service and social care."

  • "Mental health focus" in shared society plan

Mental health will form a significant part of May's shared society plan Credit: PA

Ahead of her major speech about social reform on Monday, the Tory leader said mental health would form a key part of her "shared society" vision.

May said that there was a huge "stigma" around mental health, something she said she hoped would change.

The Prime Minister said she wanted society to view mental health problems with the same sympathy and understanding as physical conditions.

May said she wanted to make sure people did not "shy away" from discussing the issue.