Rishi Sunak has reiterated his commitment to Brexit amid reports the government could be seeking a closer “Swiss-style” deal with the EU.
Speaking at the Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) annual conference, the prime minister said he was “unequivocal” that he would not return to any alignment with EU laws.
“I voted for Brexit, I believe in Brexit and I know that Brexit can deliver, and is already delivering enormous benefits and opportunities for the country,” he added, pointing to having “proper control of our borders” when it comes to migration.
“We weren’t able to do that inside the European Union, at least now we are in control of it,” said Mr Sunak.
And when it came to trade, Mr Sunak said leaving the bloc means “we can open up our country to the world’s fastest-growing markets”.
But his remarks came after the boss of the CBI, Tony Danker, called on the government to use immigration to solve worker shortages in the UK, saying it must be “practical” on the issue.
Mr Danker told the conference the UK’s labour shortages were “vast”, adding: “It’s time to be honest – we don’t have the people we need, nor do we have the productivity.”
However, Mr Sunak insisted the UK had “one of the world’s most attractive visa regimes for entrepreneurs and highly-skilled people”, adding: “The country’s number one priority right now when it comes to migration is tackling illegal migration.”