Prime Minister Theresa May's government published its blueprint for Brexit on Thursday after winning a first parliamentary vote on a bill that would empower her to start pulling Britain out of the EU. London is aiming for a "new, positive and constructive partnership between Britain and the European Union that works in our mutual interest", Brexit minister David Davis said as he launched the 77-page document in parliament.
The plan says Britain will aim to create a new mechanism to settle trade disputes once it leaves the European Union and pass new immigration and customs laws.
The blueprint set out in writing the 12 negotiating objectives May laid down in a landmark speech last month.
It outlined Britain's aims as May prepares to begin the process of officially quitting the EU following last June's historic referendum vote.
The "White Paper", which came a day after the government comfortably won a first vote on triggering the start of divorce negotiations, also said Britain will pull out of the single market in order to control immigration from the EU, which ran at 284,000 in the year to June 2016. Britain will look to strike a new customs agreement with Brussels, enabling it to forge its own trade deals with the rest of the world, it said.
Davis said Britain wanted to build a strong, alternative partnership with Brussels.
"This government will make no attempt to remain in the EU by the backdoor, nor will we hold a second referendum on membership," the document says. "Instead, the strategic partnership which we seek will underpin free trade between the UK and EU... as well as the closest possible cooperation on key issues like security, foreign policy and science and technology."
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