Instead, she intended to seek a free-trade agreement with the EU as part of the United Kingdom's post-Brexit relationship with the EU.
May’s much-hyped Brexit priorities speech, delivered on Tuesday, was welcomed in part by UK farming bodies but also drew criticism on several points, not least the continuing confusion over the future rights of EU workers in the UK, which was seen as a vital issue for many farm and food businesses.
The reaction from National Farmers Union council members was that the speech still left “legitimate and important concerns” to be addressed, especially in relation to the UK’s future trading relationship with the EU.
Commenting specifically on the plan to negotiate an agreement with the EU, the NFU council said “We hope the prime minister’s ambition can be achieved but, as we know, these kind of deals normally take years to conclude and do not cover all products.
“If a quick and comprehensive deal cannot be achieved it would be absolutely vital that there are appropriate phased arrangements to avoid a disruptive cliff-edge to allow Britain’s farmers to adapt.”
The NFU would now seek urgent talks with the government about how a post-Brexit Britain could work for Britain’s food production and for detailed commitments on a suitable transition period.
“We continue to urge the prime minister to ensure that British farming has a profitable, productive and resilient future post-Brexit and that a post-Brexit Britain truly does work for everyone,” it said.
