17.01.201707:53:00UTC+00UK PM Theresa May Says UK To Leave EU Entirely

The United Kingdom will not seek to "hold on to bits of EU membership", Prime Minister Theresa May said in a crucial speech on Tuesday.

The country also will not seek to adopt deals that are already available to other countries, May said in a speech at the Lancaster House. Britain "cannot be half in and half out", she said.

The British pound rallied as May spoke.

Britain will also not seek to remain in the single market, as it would mean not leaving the EU at all, May said. However, the country will try to gain the "greatest possible" access to it. She also said the days of the UK making vast monetary contribution to the EU will end.

The prime minister sought a 'fairer, more secure, united and outward looking' Britan after 'Brexit'.

The UK will remain a close friend of the EU and the success of the union is important, May stressed. An unraveling of the EU is not in the interest of the UK, May added.

The final 'Brexit' deal agreed with the EU will be put to vote in the parliament, May confirmed.

She also said her government will seek a 'bold and ambitious' free trade deal with the EU and would seek to remove all sorts of barriers possible to trade.

May also said that 'Brexit' must mean a control on the number of people arriving in Britain from Europe. The government wants to guarantee rights of the EU nationals in Britain and those of Britons in other member states, as early as possible, she said.

The UK prime minister said a phased process of leaving the EU will be in the interest of the UK, the EU institutions and other member states. One of the priorities would be to avoid a 'cliff-edge' situation for businesses after the separation from the EU.