UK will leave EU single market, says Theresa May

Theresa May announces plans for a clean break from EU bloc and promises that politicians will vote on final Brexit deal.

Britain will leave the European Union's single market but will "seek greatest possible access to it" as it exits the bloc, Theresa May has announced.
In a highly anticipated speech, the UK prime minister said on Tuesday that it was necessary to make a clean break and not opt for anything that "leaves us half-in, half-out" because that would mean "not leaving the EU at all".
The UK will not "hold on to bits of membership", nor seek associate or partial membership of the bloc, she said announcing her plans, but promised that the country's parliament would get to vote on a final deal on Britain's exit from the EU, or Brexit.
"I can confirm today that the government will put the final deal that is agreed between the UK and the EU to a vote in both houses of parliament before it comes into force," May said.
The country would seek a "phased process" for leaving the EU following two years of formal negotiations to "avoid a disruptive cliff edge" for businesses, she said, adding that she would start the procedures by the end of March.