0:00:23 > 0:00:32APPLAUSE Thank you, Mr Chairman.
0:00:32 > 0:00:37Yesterday, Paris and Madrid, today, Deanna, tonight Athens, but it is a
0:00:37 > 0:00:41pleasure to be here in Vienna and I will attempt to address your
0:00:41 > 0:00:45question in my speech. It's a pleasure to be here in Vienna
0:00:45 > 0:00:51because it is a city, which like Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam and London,
0:00:51 > 0:00:57has earned its status as one of Europe's truly global cities. These
0:00:57 > 0:01:01are places which shape the nations in which they are situated and the
0:01:01 > 0:01:05ideas and values of those of us who are protocol is a lot Europeans as
0:01:05 > 0:01:11well as being Austrian, French, German or British -- proud to call
0:01:11 > 0:01:20ourselves Europeans. Vienna has a long history of capital ideas. When
0:01:20 > 0:01:26the Vienna Circle gathered in this city, they produced more challenging
0:01:26 > 0:01:30ideas than a day than many perversities do in a decade. Ideas
0:01:30 > 0:01:36that form the intellectual basis of modern politics -- universities do
0:01:36 > 0:01:46in a decade. This week alone, students will be taught the ideas of
0:01:46 > 0:01:50the Austrian School of economics in London well the Opera house will see
0:01:50 > 0:02:01an English soprano star in a work by Handel, and this morning, thousands
0:02:01 > 0:02:05of Austrians will go to Aaron a living from companies owned by the
0:02:05 > 0:02:11United Kingdom -- go to earn a living. These are the current lived,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14shared experiences and they point the way to a shared future which
0:02:14 > 0:02:21will continue after Brexit. Since our referendum, much thought
0:02:21 > 0:02:27throughout Europe has gone into what the turn's relationship with the
0:02:27 > 0:02:30European Union really means, whether a close partnership is really
0:02:30 > 0:02:34possible with a nation that by the decision of its people is leading
0:02:34 > 0:02:40the structure is designed to produce such a relationship and whether
0:02:40 > 0:02:44Britain is going to be the same country it has been in the past,
0:02:44 > 0:02:50dependable, open, fair, a bastion of parliamentary democracy and a
0:02:50 > 0:02:56defender of liberty and the rule of law. Well, to cut to the chase, we
0:02:56 > 0:03:01are. We were before we joined the European Union, we are well we are
0:03:01 > 0:03:07members, and we will be after we have left. I'm here to explain not
0:03:07 > 0:03:11just why we must continue to work together as a system of partners and
0:03:11 > 0:03:18friends, but also how we should go about doing it. We are currently
0:03:18 > 0:03:22negotiating and implementation period, a crucial bridge to our new
0:03:22 > 0:03:26partnership and next month, we will start detailed discussions about
0:03:26 > 0:03:30exactly how our new relationship will look, which is why this tour of
0:03:30 > 0:03:37Europe is happening today. Before we begin that process, I believe there
0:03:37 > 0:03:39are two important principles which can help as point in the right
0:03:39 > 0:03:44direction. The first is Britain's determination to lead a race to the
0:03:44 > 0:03:51top in global standards. The second is the principle of fair
0:03:51 > 0:03:54competition, which underpins the best elements of the European
0:03:54 > 0:04:00economy and which we must work hard to spread. Throughout all of this,
0:04:00 > 0:04:05it is essential to keep in mind the reason Britain voted to leave the
0:04:05 > 0:04:10European Union. It was not and never will be a rejection of European
0:04:10 > 0:04:13ideals, our shared values and civilisation. When we joined the
0:04:13 > 0:04:22group union -- the European union, it was to be part of an organisation
0:04:22 > 0:04:26that might work for many European nations but does not work for the
0:04:26 > 0:04:29United Kingdom. Our referendum was a straightforward choice, the decision
0:04:29 > 0:04:39to move away from sovereignty in favour of more control of our own
0:04:39 > 0:04:43destiny so when we take decisions around the Cabinet table about
0:04:43 > 0:04:51Brexit, it is to make sure choices about Britain's future undertaken by
0:04:51 > 0:04:57Britain's Government. It is not to undermine Europe or to act against
0:04:57 > 0:05:01the interests of our nearest neighbours. Having the European
0:05:01 > 0:05:06Union and its member states succeed as our closest friends and allies is
0:05:06 > 0:05:11absolutely in our national interest. If that doesn't seem obvious, just
0:05:11 > 0:05:15look at the ways we have used our sovereignty since the referendum
0:05:15 > 0:05:24vote itself. On Saturday, our Prime Minister, Theresa May, explained the
0:05:24 > 0:05:29United Kingdom's steadfast commitment to European security at
0:05:29 > 0:05:32home where we are delivering an ambitious environmental plant which
0:05:32 > 0:05:36aims to leave the environment in a better state than that we found it
0:05:36 > 0:05:40in. We have a modern industrial strategy that makes targeted
0:05:40 > 0:05:46investments to address long-term needs and responding to the
0:05:46 > 0:05:48revolution in modern working practices through the Taylor review,
0:05:48 > 0:05:54which aims to ensure workers get the best possible combination of
0:05:54 > 0:06:00protection and opportunities from the modern economy. These are
0:06:00 > 0:06:03signposts to what the United Kingdom will look like after we have left
0:06:03 > 0:06:08the structures of the European Union because when it comes to our
0:06:08 > 0:06:16economic and regulatory systems and how Britain will use open -- will
0:06:16 > 0:06:20use our sovereignty, we face a new global context. The world stands on
0:06:20 > 0:06:24the brink of the next phase of globalisation. With competition
0:06:24 > 0:06:29across the world and advances in new technology like autonomous vehicles,
0:06:29 > 0:06:31artificial intelligence and smart technology that will transform our
0:06:31 > 0:06:36lives once again, and as the tectonic plates of the global
0:06:36 > 0:06:42economy shift more rapidly, we must be ready. So it is the choice of our
0:06:42 > 0:06:47country and the Government of which I am apart not as some in
0:06:47 > 0:06:52continental Europe seem to fear to be a competitive race to the bottom,
0:06:52 > 0:06:58but to lead a global race to the top. The future of standards and
0:06:58 > 0:07:03regulations, the building blocks of free trade, is increasingly global
0:07:03 > 0:07:10and the world is waking up to it. I was struck by what Emmanuel Macron
0:07:10 > 0:07:16said earlier this month and I quote him, "If we do not define a standard
0:07:16 > 0:07:18for international cooperation, we will never manage to convince the
0:07:18 > 0:07:24middle and working classes that globalisation is good for them."
0:07:24 > 0:07:30That's Emmanuel Macron. I could not agree more. But we have to act on
0:07:30 > 0:07:35that insight. For the UK, that means building on the reputation that we
0:07:35 > 0:07:43already have as new technologies evolve and develop. We want to turn
0:07:43 > 0:07:47innovative ideas into successful industries, this will require
0:07:47 > 0:07:51supportive regulation, regulation which gives confidence to firms
0:07:51 > 0:07:53considering investment and to consumers considering how they might
0:07:53 > 0:08:02use them. Take the automotive industry. With the game change and
0:08:02 > 0:08:05development of driverless cars, it will make travel cheaper, more
0:08:05 > 0:08:09reliable and safe. This is a brand-new technology which requires
0:08:09 > 0:08:16a brand-new legal framework covering insurance, testing regulations,
0:08:16 > 0:08:22data, privacy, ownership and liability. While the UK has some of
0:08:22 > 0:08:26the most creative and exciting facilities and opportunities, for
0:08:26 > 0:08:31automotive investment in the world, sustainable growth has to be
0:08:31 > 0:08:33supported by a regulatory environment which delivers for
0:08:33 > 0:08:38consumers, passengers and the wider society without creating a crushing
0:08:38 > 0:08:45administrative burden for business. So we are striving to set the global
0:08:45 > 0:08:47agenda for effective regulatory frameworks that keep consumers and
0:08:47 > 0:08:56passengers safe, which is why we are developing a long-term regulatory
0:08:56 > 0:08:58framework for self guiding vehicles well updating our code of practice
0:08:58 > 0:09:03for testing them and we are also introducing new legislation so that
0:09:03 > 0:09:06the use of some vehicles can be covered by compulsory insurance. The
0:09:06 > 0:09:16same is true for drones. Receiving deliveries from Amazon by drones. At
0:09:16 > 0:09:23this moment, weather permitting, at my home in Yorkshire, a robot lawn
0:09:23 > 0:09:28mower designed in Sweden and built in England will be mowing the grass,
0:09:28 > 0:09:32but if we're to realise the full potential of the new aerial drone
0:09:32 > 0:09:40technology, must also maintain our world-class aviation safety record
0:09:40 > 0:09:43and address privacy concerns. The Government has set out fresh
0:09:43 > 0:09:47measures and new regulation that will build a framework to ensure
0:09:47 > 0:09:51that drones are used safely, making us one of the first countries in the
0:09:51 > 0:09:57world to bring forward specific laws in this area. Because by leading
0:09:57 > 0:10:01from the front and setting standards, you can drive innovation
0:10:01 > 0:10:07and enable new technology to thrive. By making a global, as President
0:10:07 > 0:10:13Macron proposes, we can give confidence to consumers without
0:10:13 > 0:10:17handicapping industry.
0:10:17 > 0:10:22This race to the top is essential to tackle our shared challenges. Work
0:10:22 > 0:10:26to combat climate change for example has to be done at an international
0:10:26 > 0:10:31level. Air pollution, rising sea levels, greenhouse gases do not
0:10:31 > 0:10:35respect national or continental boundaries. International
0:10:35 > 0:10:38collaboration such as the Paris climate agreement is vital if we are
0:10:38 > 0:10:43going to protect our environment for future generations. In consumer
0:10:43 > 0:10:46standards we will play a full role in the push for global standards in
0:10:46 > 0:10:52car safety, supporting the work of the United Nations. We will build on
0:10:52 > 0:10:56the leading reputation we have and take other countries with us as new
0:10:56 > 0:11:01challenges emerge. And yes, that'll mean continuing to work with other
0:11:01 > 0:11:08European countries to new standards. This is an area where we should be
0:11:08 > 0:11:14respectful partners, not suspicious competitors. The United Kingdom is
0:11:14 > 0:11:18incredibly well placed to make this work. We have an unrivalled track
0:11:18 > 0:11:23record in promoting high standards at home and abroad. Standards for
0:11:23 > 0:11:26products and services which originated from our own national
0:11:26 > 0:11:31bodies are adopted the world over any wide range of sectors. Eight out
0:11:31 > 0:11:35of ten of the most used and fermented standards worldwide
0:11:35 > 0:11:39ranging from product quality to environmental management began in
0:11:39 > 0:11:44the UK. The national standard for making large-scale events more
0:11:44 > 0:11:47sustainable developed for the 2012 London Olympics is now being used at
0:11:47 > 0:11:53the Winter Olympics. While we have been a member of the European Union
0:11:53 > 0:11:58in the UK has been instrumental in the design of its rules. Why?
0:11:58 > 0:12:02Because we are a leading proponent of a rules -based international
0:12:02 > 0:12:12system. Be that in security, defence or trade. We have helped to lead the
0:12:12 > 0:12:15way in protecting employees from exploitative working practices,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18predicting shoppers from shoddy goods, ensuring patients are safe
0:12:18 > 0:12:24and have access to the best public health and in holding businesses to
0:12:24 > 0:12:29high standards. The United Kingdom led the charge for business
0:12:29 > 0:12:33practices and more accountability to the benefit of all involved. Just
0:12:33 > 0:12:39look at our record. On safety at work are industrial workers are the
0:12:39 > 0:12:43safest in Europe. The totality incidence rate as it is delicately
0:12:43 > 0:12:51known is the lowest punted Europe banks not to European legislation
0:12:51 > 0:13:02but British laws passed in the early to mid 70s. In financial services we
0:13:02 > 0:13:07go well beyond the minimum European standards by ring fencing retail
0:13:07 > 0:13:11banking for more risky investment activity and we have taken the lead
0:13:11 > 0:13:17in pushing for higher capital ratio requirement. We spearheaded a change
0:13:17 > 0:13:21in the culture with banking and insurance with new regimes to
0:13:21 > 0:13:24address mismanagement. There is nothing in European legislation
0:13:24 > 0:13:29which goes as far. We have led the way in implementing measures to
0:13:29 > 0:13:34juice multinational tax avoidance, one of only three European Union
0:13:34 > 0:13:39countries to operate a tax disclosure regime. We push for and
0:13:39 > 0:13:44always defended a rigorous state aid system which is robust with its
0:13:44 > 0:13:52enforcement mechanisms. We were the first country in the world to set a
0:13:52 > 0:13:58legally binding targets to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. We
0:13:58 > 0:14:05reduced them faster than any G-7 country or European country. After
0:14:05 > 0:14:09Brexit plans are in the pipeline for a new independent body which will
0:14:09 > 0:14:14continue to uphold environmental standards. We will continue our
0:14:14 > 0:14:19track record of meeting high standards after we leave the
0:14:19 > 0:14:24European Union. I know that for one reason or another there are some
0:14:24 > 0:14:30people who sought to question that these are really our intentions.
0:14:30 > 0:14:37They fear Brexit could lead to a Anglo-Saxon race to the bottom with
0:14:37 > 0:14:42Britain plunged into a Mad Max style world borrowed from dystopian
0:14:42 > 0:14:48fiction. These fears are based on nothing. Not our history, not our
0:14:48 > 0:14:54intentions, not our national interest. The competitive challenge
0:14:54 > 0:14:57we in the UK and the European Union will face from the rest of the world
0:14:57 > 0:15:01when 90% of growth and market will come will not be met by a reduction
0:15:01 > 0:15:06in standards. We will never be cheaper than China. Or have more
0:15:06 > 0:15:12resources than Brazil. This challenge can only be met by an
0:15:12 > 0:15:14increase in quality and service levels and an increase in
0:15:14 > 0:15:19intellectual content. So what I profoundly disagree with those who
0:15:19 > 0:15:26spread those fears but it does remind us that we should provide
0:15:26 > 0:15:30reassurance and that is why it is a message delivered by every member of
0:15:30 > 0:15:34Britain's government as we meet our European counterparts. Whether it is
0:15:34 > 0:15:38Theresa May's commitment to maintaining and enhancing workers'
0:15:38 > 0:15:42rights, the Chancellor's powerful advocacy for the stability of the
0:15:42 > 0:15:50European banking system, Michael Gove crusading or my friend the
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Foreign Secretary who explained in an important speech last week how
0:15:54 > 0:15:57ending membership of the European Union institutions would not stop
0:15:57 > 0:16:04our shared European culture of values, civilisation. This race to
0:16:04 > 0:16:10the top has a clear read across to our exit negotiations. The future
0:16:10 > 0:16:16trade talks will be a negotiation like no other. We start from a
0:16:16 > 0:16:19position of total alignment with unprecedented experience in working
0:16:19 > 0:16:23with one another's regulators and institutions. The agreement we
0:16:23 > 0:16:28strike will not be about how to build a convergence, what we do when
0:16:28 > 0:16:32one of us chooses to make changes to a rules. Neither side shall put
0:16:32 > 0:16:39unnecessary barriers during this process. Take a car produced here in
0:16:39 > 0:16:43Austria to be exported to the United Kingdom. Currently that vehicle only
0:16:43 > 0:16:50has to undergo one series of approvals in one country to show it
0:16:50 > 0:16:53meets the required regulatory standards. Those approvals are
0:16:53 > 0:16:57accepted across the European Union. That's exactly the sort of
0:16:57 > 0:17:01arrangement we want to see maintained even after we leave the
0:17:01 > 0:17:07European Union. And while we will be seeking a bespoke agreement
0:17:07 > 0:17:10reflecting our shared history and existing trade there are already
0:17:10 > 0:17:16president is outside the EU we can look to. The European Union itself
0:17:16 > 0:17:19has a number of mutual recognition agreements with a variety of
0:17:19 > 0:17:24countries from Switzerland to Canada to South Korea. These cover a huge
0:17:24 > 0:17:28array of products, toys, automotives, electronics and medical
0:17:28 > 0:17:34devices, and many many more. A crucial part of any such agreement
0:17:34 > 0:17:38is the ability for both sides to trust each other's regulations and
0:17:38 > 0:17:42the institutions that enforce them. With a robust and independent
0:17:42 > 0:17:49arbitration mechanism. Such mutual recognition will naturally require
0:17:49 > 0:17:51close evenhanded cooperation between authorities and a common set of
0:17:51 > 0:17:57principles. The certainty that Britain's plan, the blueprint for
0:17:57 > 0:18:01life outside the European Union is a race for top in global standards and
0:18:01 > 0:18:06not a regression from the high standards we have now. It will
0:18:06 > 0:18:10provide the basis of trust which means Britain's regulators and
0:18:10 > 0:18:15institutions can continue to be recognised. This will be a crucial
0:18:15 > 0:18:19part of ensuring our future economic partnership is an open one and that
0:18:19 > 0:18:22trade remains as frictionless as possible, something particularly
0:18:22 > 0:18:27important in the context of Ireland. I am certain that is in the interest
0:18:27 > 0:18:33of both sides. And because of that I am certain we can get this right.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38But of course it will not be easy. We are seeking a new framework which
0:18:38 > 0:18:42allows for a close economic partnership that recognises the fact
0:18:42 > 0:18:46we are leaving the European Union. That recognises our trusted historic
0:18:46 > 0:18:52relationship upon which many of our companies depend. And the principle
0:18:52 > 0:18:55of fairness and her competition which is essential to any trade
0:18:55 > 0:19:00agreement between any two states will be particularly important here.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04Turning this into a functioning economic partnership will be a
0:19:04 > 0:19:08mutual endeavour. As for the design of mechanisms to ensure both sides
0:19:08 > 0:19:13respect open trade and fair competition. But I have three
0:19:13 > 0:19:19principles in mind which will help illustrate what we mean by fairness.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23First fair competition means it cannot be right that the company
0:19:23 > 0:19:27situated in the European Union will be able to be heavily subsidised by
0:19:27 > 0:19:30the state but still have unfettered access to the United Kingdom market.
0:19:30 > 0:19:36And vice versa. The UK has long been a vocal proponent of restricting
0:19:36 > 0:19:40unfair subsidies to ensure competitive markets. It is give
0:19:40 > 0:19:46taxpayers and consumers and it ensures an efficient allocation of
0:19:46 > 0:19:50resources. These principles are true across the globe and will continue
0:19:50 > 0:19:55to be true in the United Kingdom, European Union relationship. Second,
0:19:55 > 0:19:59fairness means protecting consumers against anti-competitive behaviour.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03The United Kingdom will continue to be a leading advocate of open
0:20:03 > 0:20:07investment flows after we leave the European Union. But it cannot mean
0:20:07 > 0:20:10that a European company could merge with the United Kingdom company and
0:20:10 > 0:20:14significantly reduce consumer choice. In our interconnected
0:20:14 > 0:20:19globalised world where goods and services and investments flow across
0:20:19 > 0:20:24borders there will still be a mutual benefit to the UK and European union
0:20:24 > 0:20:27of cooperating to protect our consumers, taxpayers and businesses
0:20:27 > 0:20:33by promoting fair competition. So we will look to develop ways to deliver
0:20:33 > 0:20:36our shared goal, ensuring fair competition across the United
0:20:36 > 0:20:41Kingdom and the countries of Europe. Because it is in all our interest to
0:20:41 > 0:20:44make sure people are properly protected and have a right recourse
0:20:44 > 0:20:50when things go wrong. And thirdly, fairness means operating with a
0:20:50 > 0:20:54degree of mutual respect. Respect in the desire to reach a deal, a
0:20:54 > 0:20:59distinct legal order of each side. And our determination to carry out
0:20:59 > 0:21:04the sovereign decision of the British people. If we follow these
0:21:04 > 0:21:07three critical principles we will reach an ambitious future
0:21:07 > 0:21:09partnership which ensures trade remains as open and frictionless as
0:21:09 > 0:21:16possible. Brexit will inevitably mean a change in the way British,
0:21:16 > 0:21:20Austrian and other European Union companies do business. It has to. If
0:21:20 > 0:21:24we are to make good on the referendum result and carve a path
0:21:24 > 0:21:29for Britain to strike its own trade deals, have its own immigration
0:21:29 > 0:21:34policy and make our courts sovereign once more. My message to you in this
0:21:34 > 0:21:37room is that these goals will not change the kind of country retinas.
0:21:37 > 0:21:44A dynamic, and open country. That supports businesses like yours to
0:21:44 > 0:21:51grow, invest and in innovate in a fair and competitive market. Reading
0:21:51 > 0:21:58a place to standards 's competition. Respecting their democratic decision
0:21:58 > 0:22:04of people across Europe. In a way that benefits the whole of Europe
0:22:04 > 0:22:12and all its citizens. Thank you very much. APPLAUSE
0:22:16 > 0:22:20I will take three or four questions, I see some familiar faces in the
0:22:20 > 0:22:28audience. Vicki Young?Vicki Young BBC News, there are many in Britain
0:22:28 > 0:22:33and some in your party and even your Cabinet to think that EU red tape is
0:22:33 > 0:22:37choking Britain, are you now saying we have to stick to the rules if we
0:22:37 > 0:22:41are going to frictionless trade and how are your Cabinet going to
0:22:41 > 0:22:44resolve the dilemma? Will Theresa May have to lock you in a room
0:22:44 > 0:22:49overnight?Locked in a room all day, not overnight! The first thing I
0:22:49 > 0:22:55said here was the examples I took were from Canada, South Korea,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58Switzerland, which are outside the European Union and not required to
0:22:58 > 0:23:02obey European Union rules but haven't mutual recognition standards
0:23:02 > 0:23:07and that's something every free trade agreement some method of
0:23:07 > 0:23:11recognising the quality standards, the outcome standards, safety,
0:23:11 > 0:23:19emissions, not the way you would do it, not the laws you are, so it's a
0:23:19 > 0:23:23question of being able to operate a free trade environment with accepted
0:23:23 > 0:23:26international and in my view, in the long-term, global standards, not
0:23:26 > 0:23:33European ones. Absolutely it will deliver the outcome we want and also
0:23:33 > 0:23:43deliver on the referendum result. Faisal Islam?You seem to be asking
0:23:43 > 0:23:48Europe to trust the United Kingdom so we can get more access than a
0:23:48 > 0:23:57normal trade deal but on two issues, Northern Ireland for example we have
0:23:57 > 0:24:01had Simon Coveney Singh talking down the Good Friday Agreement which some
0:24:01 > 0:24:04MPs have been doing raises serious questions that this is irresponsible
0:24:04 > 0:24:10and reckless. But in terms of the current negotiations as well, some
0:24:10 > 0:24:15of your partners seem to be so concerned about the length of time
0:24:15 > 0:24:20it's taking they have activated their hard Brexit custom plans
0:24:20 > 0:24:24already, is the trust really there? Let me deal with one after another.
0:24:24 > 0:24:30Firstly I am saying that some of the fears are ill founded, that is all
0:24:30 > 0:24:36the examples I gave, but at the end of the day every free-trade
0:24:36 > 0:24:42agreement when it has common standards has some sort of mechanism
0:24:42 > 0:24:45in it, normally an arbitration mechanism with one person from each
0:24:45 > 0:24:48side and an independent chairman, that is what Canada and South Korea
0:24:48 > 0:24:53have. That does not require absolute trust but it does require us to work
0:24:53 > 0:24:58on the premise we will try to get the best outcome on both sides. I'm
0:24:58 > 0:25:01not conscious of anyone talking down the Good Friday Agreement, certainly
0:25:01 > 0:25:06nobody in government and everything we are doing aiming towards ensuring
0:25:06 > 0:25:14that we meet every aspect of it. So I don't see that being a problem.
0:25:14 > 0:25:19As for plans for a new deal, every Government has a responsibility to
0:25:19 > 0:25:23plan for all outcomes, and so that is what happens both in the United
0:25:23 > 0:25:27Kingdom and the European Union. It doesn't mean we think it is likely,
0:25:27 > 0:25:34anything like likely, indeed we are working towards a deal later this
0:25:34 > 0:25:39year, and frankly in my last couple of days of visits, everything I've
0:25:39 > 0:25:46seen indicates that's well on the cards. James?Secretary of State,
0:25:46 > 0:25:50for some years now, your Brexit colleagues have been telling us that
0:25:50 > 0:25:55we simply had to escape the dead hand of EU regulation and red tape
0:25:55 > 0:26:00if we are to thrive. Now, according to your speech today, it turns out
0:26:00 > 0:26:05that all this time the UK was leading the way, even designing a
0:26:05 > 0:26:12lot of this regulation. Have we been Miss let?Very good question. The
0:26:12 > 0:26:17simple truth is there are bits of EU regulation we don't approve of. We
0:26:17 > 0:26:21are the country that has lost more votes than any other, regrettably.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25What this is about is choosing the future which is best for Britain.
0:26:25 > 0:26:30What I have been arguing today is about as a future which involves
0:26:30 > 0:26:33high standards, not necessarily identical standards, probably not,
0:26:33 > 0:26:37but one that allows us to have free trade between us and allows us to
0:26:37 > 0:26:40lead what I have termed a race to the top, not a race to the bottom
0:26:40 > 0:26:47but a race to the top, high quality standards and safety in cars,
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Security on drones, high quality standards across the board, which is
0:26:49 > 0:26:54where we will be able to compete with our 85% service economy with
0:26:54 > 0:27:05the competitors of the future. Wolfgang.This week we had an
0:27:05 > 0:27:11opinion poll in Austria which says that a majority of Austrians want
0:27:11 > 0:27:17Britain to leave the European Union against Brexit. What do you tell
0:27:17 > 0:27:23these people who have the impression that an old partner will now leave
0:27:23 > 0:27:28because he thinks he has more advantage outside of this family?If
0:27:28 > 0:27:32I had an opinion poll of all the Ministers I meet around Europe, I
0:27:32 > 0:27:37can tell you 100% don't want us to leave, of the ones I meet, so that
0:27:37 > 0:27:43is not a surprise to me. The point I think I want to make is this.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47Written, after it has left the European Union, will continue to be
0:27:47 > 0:27:50a good global citizen, we will continue to shoulder out
0:27:50 > 0:27:55responsibilities and promote free trade. We will want to stay friends
0:27:55 > 0:27:58of the European Union, friends and allies. We will want you to succeed
0:27:58 > 0:28:04just as we want to succeed ourselves. And we take these
0:28:04 > 0:28:11responsibilities very seriously. We are the largest spenders on defence,
0:28:11 > 0:28:14an international trade, in the European Union, by some big margin,
0:28:14 > 0:28:19so you can expect us to continue to be good neighbours and friends. We
0:28:19 > 0:28:25know many are sad to see us leave the institution, but we are not
0:28:25 > 0:28:28leaving the neighbourhood, and we will continue to be good neighbours.
0:28:28 > 0:28:36Claire.Secretary of State, reports this morning suggest there is a
0:28:36 > 0:28:45secret plan for the UK to withhold payments to the EU to force Brussels
0:28:45 > 0:28:54to give us a good trade deal. Are these correct?Secret plans! As
0:28:54 > 0:28:59announced by the Prime Minister. We have made it plain that the
0:28:59 > 0:29:08withdrawal agreement follows Article 50, Article 50 says that the
0:29:08 > 0:29:10withdrawal agreement has to take into account the future
0:29:10 > 0:29:13relationship, so you have to have a future relationship about to happen,
0:29:13 > 0:29:25they are bound up in one, they are not separate issues. Kate McCann.
0:29:25 > 0:29:30Wilbur Government a final clear position on Brexit by the end of the
0:29:30 > 0:29:32away day this week Rose and there have been some reports around this
0:29:32 > 0:29:38morning that you are lazy. What do you say to that?On the latter one,
0:29:38 > 0:29:42they should give them my travel schedule, which starts early in the
0:29:42 > 0:29:46morning it arrives rather later than most people go to bed. Of course we
0:29:46 > 0:29:52are aiming... The difficulty with answering the question is that there
0:29:52 > 0:29:58is no final answer. We started back at Lancaster house with the grand
0:29:58 > 0:30:03outline of the plan, which was the same as it is now. That was fleshed
0:30:03 > 0:30:10out in more detail in Florence. There were two white papers on it,
0:30:10 > 0:30:14any number 14 policy papers last year, I lazily gave my holiday also
0:30:14 > 0:30:22might assign them all off. And we will be talking about some of the
0:30:22 > 0:30:27specific issues on Thursday, so the policy will get more and more and
0:30:27 > 0:30:31more closely refined, and that is what will happen this Thursday, very
0:30:31 > 0:30:35successfully, and I don't suppose Mrs May would give us the key to the
0:30:35 > 0:30:38door until we conclude them. I think I had better stop there, because
0:30:38 > 0:30:43with my lazy schedule I have got to head off to Athens next, but thank
0:30:43 > 0:30:46you very much for being a good audience, and we look forward to
0:30:46 > 0:30:49being great friends and great allies and great trading partners in the
0:30:49 > 0:30:53future. Thank you. APPLAUSE