BRITAIN'S charge towards the EU exit was proceeding at a cracking pace last night with work on a string of trade deals already underway in Whitehall.
Ministers were preparing the ground for rapid negotiations on new agreements with around a dozen countries to meet their timetable for leaving the European bloc in the early months of 2019.
Tory Cabinet minister David Davis, the newly appointed EU Exit Secretary, said: "We’re talking to large numbers of people who all want to help and we’ll get a very, very large trade area, much bigger than the European Union, probably ten times the size."
Countries queuing up to trade with Britain outside the EU were thought to include Australia, the US, New Zealand, India, Mexico, South Korea and Iceland.
In a further push to accelerate the Brexit process, Theresa May will today travel to Cardiff for the latest round of talks with the leaders of devolved assemblies in her effort to ensure a united UK approach to the EU departure negotiations.
"She has been very clear about taking a UK-wide approach to the Brexit negotiations and she is getting on with it," a Downing Street insider said.
Senior ministers also confirmed that work on a plan for re-establishing border controls was underway with a warning that new EU migrants who attempt to come to Britain before Brexit takes place could be sent home.
The efforts across Whitehall last night were being seen as an indication that a Government plan for Brexit was swiftly being put into place.
International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said he was "scoping about a dozen free-trade deals to be ready for when we leave."
He had opened "very fruitful" negotiations with Canada on Friday, he revealed, and is expected to fly to Washington for to meet the White House's most senior trade negotiator within days.
"We can make Britain a beacon for open trade," Dr Fox said.
"We've already had a number of countries saying - we'd love to do a trade deal with the world's fifth biggest economy without having to deal with the other 27 members of the EU."
Mrs May spoke to Australian premier Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday, who said he was keen to strike a trade deal with the UK "as soon as possible".
Other countries that have indicated a desire to begin trade talks with the UK since the Brexit vote in last month's EU referendum include India, New Zealand, Iceland, Mexico and South Korea.
Mr Davis, who was given the crucial new post of Brexit minister in Mrs May's reshuffle, yesterday said the Government was aiming to keep tariff-free trade with EU nations after Brexit.
"It whether we keep tariff-free access that is the issue and I think yes, I think that is what we are aiming for," he said.
Other European nations were beginning to drop scaremongering stances against Brexit and coming to recognise that "free trade works in both directions", he said.
"They know what we've always said they depend as much on us - more on us, actually - than we depend on them," he said.
Mr Davis also said the Government wanted a "generous settlement" that allowed EU migrants already in the UK to stay.
But he warned that a date for qualification for being allowed to stay was likely to be set to stop a surge in migrants trying to beat the Brexit deadline.
"If we make a very generous settlement as I’d like to do, then people are going to say that will attract a lot more people in because they want to beat the deadline," Mr Davis told the Murnaghan Show on Sky news.
One way of dealing with it could be saying okay, only people who arrived before a certain date get this protection.
"There are other ways too but we’ve got to do it within the law as it stands because at that point we’ll still be within the European Union."
Mr David also suggested that Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, the legal process through which the UK would officially set the clock ticking on its two-year Brexit negotiations, would be triggered "early next year".
His timescale would mean the UK officially quitting the EU in the early months of 2019.
Mrs May will meet Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones today to affirm her commitment to fully engaging with the Welsh Government in the forthcoming negotiations about the UK’s exit.
She met Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last week and is expected to fly to Northern Ireland soon to ensure that all the UK's devolved assemblies are being kept involved in the Brexit process.
Mrs May said last night: “In my first statement as Prime Minister I made clear how strongly I believe in the Union. I want to say to the people of Wales that the Government I lead will always be on your side - and that means I will stand up for you and your family against injustice and inequality.
My Government is committed to helping the steel industry secure a long-term viable future in Wales. The steel industry is vital to the UK and we will do everything we can to look after the workers and wider community as we work with Tata and the Welsh government.
“Whether it’s reforming the economy or strengthening our society, we are going to build a better Britain and a nation that works for everyone – not just the privileged few.”
A majority of voters in Wales backed leaving the EU in the referendum.
Tory Cabinet minister David Davis, the newly appointed EU Exit Secretary, said: "We’re talking to large numbers of people who all want to help and we’ll get a very, very large trade area, much bigger than the European Union, probably ten times the size."
Countries queuing up to trade with Britain outside the EU were thought to include Australia, the US, New Zealand, India, Mexico, South Korea and Iceland.
In a further push to accelerate the Brexit process, Theresa May will today travel to Cardiff for the latest round of talks with the leaders of devolved assemblies in her effort to ensure a united UK approach to the EU departure negotiations.
"She has been very clear about taking a UK-wide approach to the Brexit negotiations and she is getting on with it," a Downing Street insider said.
Senior ministers also confirmed that work on a plan for re-establishing border controls was underway with a warning that new EU migrants who attempt to come to Britain before Brexit takes place could be sent home.
The efforts across Whitehall last night were being seen as an indication that a Government plan for Brexit was swiftly being put into place.
He had opened "very fruitful" negotiations with Canada on Friday, he revealed, and is expected to fly to Washington for to meet the White House's most senior trade negotiator within days.
"We can make Britain a beacon for open trade," Dr Fox said.
"We've already had a number of countries saying - we'd love to do a trade deal with the world's fifth biggest economy without having to deal with the other 27 members of the EU."
Mrs May spoke to Australian premier Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday, who said he was keen to strike a trade deal with the UK "as soon as possible".
Other countries that have indicated a desire to begin trade talks with the UK since the Brexit vote in last month's EU referendum include India, New Zealand, Iceland, Mexico and South Korea.
Mr Davis, who was given the crucial new post of Brexit minister in Mrs May's reshuffle, yesterday said the Government was aiming to keep tariff-free trade with EU nations after Brexit.
Other European nations were beginning to drop scaremongering stances against Brexit and coming to recognise that "free trade works in both directions", he said.
"They know what we've always said they depend as much on us - more on us, actually - than we depend on them," he said.
Mr Davis also said the Government wanted a "generous settlement" that allowed EU migrants already in the UK to stay.
But he warned that a date for qualification for being allowed to stay was likely to be set to stop a surge in migrants trying to beat the Brexit deadline.
"If we make a very generous settlement as I’d like to do, then people are going to say that will attract a lot more people in because they want to beat the deadline," Mr Davis told the Murnaghan Show on Sky news.
One way of dealing with it could be saying okay, only people who arrived before a certain date get this protection.
"There are other ways too but we’ve got to do it within the law as it stands because at that point we’ll still be within the European Union."
Mr David also suggested that Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, the legal process through which the UK would officially set the clock ticking on its two-year Brexit negotiations, would be triggered "early next year".
His timescale would mean the UK officially quitting the EU in the early months of 2019.
Mrs May will meet Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones today to affirm her commitment to fully engaging with the Welsh Government in the forthcoming negotiations about the UK’s exit.
She met Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last week and is expected to fly to Northern Ireland soon to ensure that all the UK's devolved assemblies are being kept involved in the Brexit process.
My Government is committed to helping the steel industry secure a long-term viable future in Wales. The steel industry is vital to the UK and we will do everything we can to look after the workers and wider community as we work with Tata and the Welsh government.
“Whether it’s reforming the economy or strengthening our society, we are going to build a better Britain and a nation that works for everyone – not just the privileged few.”
A majority of voters in Wales backed leaving the EU in the referendum.
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