Liam Fox has said there is no cabinet-wide agreement for the suggestion by the chancellor, Philip Hammond, that free movement could continue for up to three years after Brexit. Exposing a divide across Theresa May’s top table, the international trade secretary warned that “control of our own borders” was one of the key elements behind the leave vote and said free movement must end in 2019. That followed reports of the cabinet agreeing to the idea that free movement could continue alongside access to the single market during transition, and Britain would be constrained in signing new trade deals. Announcing the study, Rudd said the government would seek a transitional arrangement, likely to involve the continuation of free movement, to ensure there would be no cliff edge for employers or EU nationals. Overall, Labour has made it clear that while free movement will end, immigration controls must take a second place to economic factors.

Source: The Guardian July 30, 2017 07:59 UTC