I campaigned for Britain to remain in the EU, so I was disappointed with the outcome, but I respect the choice of the British people. The crucial point now is to achieve the best possible outcome for this country in both the short and long term.
We have now published draft legislation, allowing the Government to move ahead with invoking Article 50, which starts the formal process of withdrawing from the European Union. This is a straightforward Bill. It is not about whether or not we should leave the European Union. That decision has already been made by the electorate. We will work with colleagues in both Houses to ensure this Bill is passed in good time for us to invoke Article 50 by the end of March this year.
The Government’s priority following the European Union referendum has been to respect the result, and to ensure it is delivered in the interests of the whole country.