Prime Minister's Commons statement on triggering Article 50

近日，英国首相特雷莎·梅签署历史性信函，启动里斯本条约第50条（Article 50），正式启动“脱欧”程序。梅姨签名为证：

Thank you Mr Speaker.

Today the government acts onthe democratic will[民主意愿]of the British people. And it acts, too, on the clear and convincing position of this House.

A few minutes ago inBrussels[布鲁塞尔],the United Kingdom's Permanent Representative to the EU[英常驻欧盟代表]handed a letter tothe President of the European Council[欧盟理事会主席]on my behalf, confirming the government's decision to invokeArticle 50 of the Treaty on European Union[《里斯本条约》第50条].

The Article 50 process is now underway. Andin accordance withthe wishes of the British people, the United Kingdom is leaving the European Union.

This is an historic moment from whichthere can be no turning back.Britain is leaving the European Union. We are going to make our own decisions and our own laws. We are going to take control of the things that matter most to us. And we are going to take this opportunity to build a stronger, fairer Britain – a country that our children and grandchildren are proud to call home. That is our ambition and our opportunity. That is what this government is determined to do.

Mr Speaker, at moments like these –great turning pointsin our national story – the choices we make define the character of our nation. We can choose to say the task ahead is too great. We can choose to turn our face to the past and believe it can't be done. Or we can look forward with optimism and hope – and to believe inthe enduring power[持久力量]of the British spirit.

I choose to believe in Britain and that our best dayslie ahead. And I do so because I am confident that we have the vision and the plan to use this moment to build a better Britain. For leaving the European Union presents us with a unique opportunity. It is this generation's chance toshape a brighter futurefor our country. A chance to step back and ask ourselves what kind of country we want to be.

My answer is clear. I want the United Kingdom to emerge from this period of changestronger,fairer, more united and more outward-lookingthan ever before. I want us to be asecure, prosperous, tolerantcountry – amagnet[磁铁;吸铁石]for international talent and a home to the pioneers and innovators who will shape the world ahead.

I want us to be a trulyGlobal Britain– the best friend and neighbour to our European partners, but a country that reaches beyond the borders of Europe too. A country that goes out into the world to build relationships with old friends and new allies alike.

And that is why I haveset out a clear and ambitious planfor the negotiations ahead. It is a plan for a new deep and special partnership between Britain and the European Union.A partnership of values. A partnership of interests. A partnership based on co-operation in areas such as security and economic affairs. Anda partnership that works in the best interests of the United Kingdom, the European Union and the wider world.

Because perhaps now more than ever, the world needs theliberal,democraticvalues of Europe – values that this United Kingdom shares. And that is why, while we are leaving the institutions of the European Union, we are not leaving Europe.We will remain a close friend and ally.We will be a committed partner[忠诚的伙伴]. We will play our part to ensure that Europe is able toproject its valuesanddefend itself from security threats[保护自己免受安全威胁]. And we will do all that we can to help the European Union prosper and succeed.

So Mr Speaker, in the letter that has been delivered toPresident Tusktoday – copies of which I have placed in the library of the House – I have been clear that the deep and special partnership we seek is inthe best interests ofthe United Kingdom and of the European Union too.

I have been clear that we will work constructively – in a spirit of sincereco-operation– to bring this partnership into being. And I have been clear that we should seek to agree the terms of this future partnership alongside those of our withdrawal, within the next 2 years.

I am ambitious for Britain. And the objectives I have set out for these negotiations remain. We will deliver certainty wherever possible so that business, the public sector and everybody else has as much clarity as we can provide as we move through the process. It is why, tomorrow, we will publish aWhite Paperconfirming our plans to convert the ‘acquis’ into British law, so that everyone will know where they stand.

And it is why I have been clear that the government will put the final deal that is agreed between the UK and the EU to a vote in bothHouses of Parliamentbefore itcomes into force. We will take control of our own laws and bring an end to thejurisdiction[1]of the European Court of Justice in Britain. Leaving the European Union will mean that our laws will be made inWestminster,Edinburgh,CardiffandBelfast. And those laws will be interpreted by judges not inLuxembourg, but in courts across this country.

[1]jurisdiction[.dʒʊərɪs'dɪkʃ(ə)n]

the authority of a court or official organization to make decisions and judgments 司法权；管辖权；审判权

The court has no jurisdiction in/over cases of this kind.

该法庭无权审判此类案件。

We will strengthen the Union of the 4 nations thatcompriseour United Kingdom. We will negotiate as one United Kingdom, taking account of the specific interests of every nation and region of the UK and when it comes to the powers that we will take back from Europe, we will consult fully on which powers shouldreside inWestminster and which should be passed on tothe devolved administrations.

But Mr Speaker, no decisions currently taken by the devolved administrations will be removed from them. And it is the expectation of the government that the devolved administrations inScotland,WalesandNorthern Irelandwill see a significant increase in theirdecision-making poweras a result of this process.

We want to maintain the common travel area withthe Republic of Ireland. There should be no return to the borders of the past. We will control immigration so that we continue to attract the brightest and the best to work or study in Britain, but manage the process properly so that our immigration system serves the national interest.

We seek to guarantee the rights ofEU citizens[欧盟公民]who are already living in Britain, and the rights ofBritish nationals[英国国民]in other member states as early as we can. That is set out very clearly in the letter as an early priority for the talks ahead. We will ensure that workers' rights are fully protected and maintained.Indeed, under my leadership,not only will the government protect the rights of workers, we will build on them.

We will pursue aboldandambitiousfree trade agreement with the European Union that allows for the freest possible trade in goods and services between Britain and the EU's member states; that gives British companiesthe maximum freedomto trade with and operate within European markets; and that lets European businesses do the same in Britain.

Because European leaders have said many times that we cannot ‘cherry pick[2]’ and remain members of the single market without accepting the 4 freedoms that are indivisible. We respect that position. And as accepting those freedomsis incompatible with[和...不相容的]the democratically expressed will of the British people, we will no longer be members of the single market.

[2]cherry pick:to pick only the best people or things from a group, so that only people or things that are less good remain

The new schools were accused ofcherry-pickingthe best students in the area.

We are going to make sure that we canstrike[3]trade agreementswith countries from outside the European Union too. Because important though our trade with the EU is and will remain, it is clear that the UK needs to increase significantly its trade with the fastest growing export markets in the world.

[3]strike:to reach or make an agreement 达成，制定（协议）

Do you think the government should try tostrike a dealwith the terrorists?

你认为政府应该尝试与恐怖分子达成协议吗？

We hope to continue to collaborate with our European partners in the areas ofscience, education, research and technology, so that the UK is one of the best places for science and innovation. We seek continued co-operation with our European partners in important areas such ascrime, terrorism and foreign affairs.

And it is our aim to deliver asmoothandorderlyBrexit – reaching an agreement about our future partnership by the time the 2-year Article 50 process has concluded, then moving intoa phased process[阶段性进程/过程]of implementation in which Britain, the EU institutions and member states prepare for the new arrangements that will exist between us.

Mr Speaker, we understand that there will beconsequencesfor the UK of leaving the EU. We know that we will lose influenceover the rules that affect the European economy. We know that UK companies that trade with the EU will have toalign with[与……结盟;与…一致]rules agreed by institutions of which we are no longer a part, just as we do in other overseas markets. We accept that.

However, we approach these talksconstructively,respectfully, andin a spirit of sincere co-operation. For it is in the interests of both the United Kingdom and the European Union that we should use this process to deliver our objectives in a fair and orderly manner. It is in the interests of both the United Kingdom and the European Union that there should beas little disruption as possible. And it is in the interests of both the United Kingdom and the European Union that Europe should remain strong, prosperous and capable ofprojectingits valuesin the world.

At a time when the growth of global trade is slowing and there are signs thatprotectionistinstinctsare on the rise in many parts of the world, Europe has a responsibility to stand up for free trade in the interests of all our citizens.

With Europe's security morefragiletoday than at any time since the end ofthe Cold War, weakening our co-operation and failing to stand up for European values would be a costly mistake.

Our vote to leave the EU wasno rejection ofthe values thatwe share as fellow Europeans. As a European country, we will continue to play our part in promoting and supporting those values – during the negotiations and once they are done.

We will continue to bereliablepartners, willing allies and close friends. We want to continue to buy goods and services from the EU, and sell them ours. We want to trade with them as freely as possible, and work with one another to make sure we are allsafer, moresecureand moreprosperousthrough continued friendship.

Indeed, in an increasingly unstable world, we must continue toforge the closest possible security co-operationto keep our people safe. We face the same global threats fromterrorismandextremism[极端主义]. That message was only reinforced by theabhorrent[4]attack onWestminster Bridge[威斯敏斯特桥]and this place last week.

[4]abhorrent[əb'hɒrənt]

morally very bad 令人憎恶的；使人厌恶的；可恶的

an abhorrent crime

令人唾弃的罪行

So there should be no reason why we should not agree a new deep and special partnership between the UK and the EU that works for us all.

Mr Speaker, I know that this is a day of celebration for someand disappointment for others. Thereferendum[公投]last June was divisive at times. Not everyone shared the same point of view, or voted in the same way. The arguments on both side werepassionate.

But, Mr Speaker, when I sit around the negotiating table in the months ahead, I will represent every person in the whole United Kingdom – young and old, rich and poor, city, town, country and all the villages andhamlets[小村庄]in between.

And yes, thoseEU nationalswho have made this country their home and it is myfierce determinationto get the right deal for every single person in this country. For as we face the opportunities ahead of us on thismomentous[重大的,重要的]journey, our shared values, interests and ambitions can – and must – bring us together.

We all want to see a Britain that isstrongerthan it is today. We all want a country that is fairer so that everyone has the chance to succeed. We all want a nation that is safe and secure for our children and grandchildren. We all want to live ina truly Global Britainthat gets out and builds relationships with old friends and new allies around the world.

These are the ambitions of thisgovernment's Plan for Britain. Ambitions that unite us, so that we are no longer defined by the vote we cast, but by our determination to make a success of the result.

We are one great union of people and nations with a proud history and a bright future. And now that the decision to leave has been made – and the process is underway – it is time to come together. For this great national moment needs a great national effort. An effort to shape a stronger future for Britain.

So let us do so together. Let us come together and work together. Let us together choose to believe in Britain with optimism and hope. For if we do, we can make the most of the opportunities ahead. We can together make a success of this moment. And we can together build astronger,fairer,betterBritain – a Britain our children and grandchildren are proud to call home.