Responding to the Prime Minister’s speech, Richard Tice and John Longworth, Co-Chairs of Leave Means Leave said:
“The Prime Minister set out an optimistic, positive tone in her speech.
“However, we are deeply concerned that her proposals could lead to nothing changing either during or after the implementation period – which will go on for an undefined amount of time.
“There is no reference to being able to deregulate, sign our own trade deals or control our borders.
“This is a rebadging of the status quo and is Brexit in name only. In reality, this means we are still members.
“The Prime Minister should have explicitly committed to a no deal option and the Government should be planning for it.
“She has fallen for the trap laid by senior civil servants, the Treasury and the CBI.
“If we continue along this route, the British people will be poorer because the Government has thrown away a huge opportunity to crystallise the benefits of Brexit.
“Both sides should agree to accelerate talks so that we can all know by Christmas whether we are going to agree a deal or not. In the event of no deal, we can part as friends and move to trade under the global WTO system which is fine.”