Britain&#39;s foreign minister Boris Johnson warned French President Francois Hollande against World War II-style &quot;punishment beatings&quot; for Brexit.

Hollande has said it would not accept improved conditions for the UK when it leaves the single market.

Johnson said that penalising Britain for leaving the EU would benefit no one and compared the approach to punishment given to escaped prisoners in war movies.

&quot;I think that if Monsieur Hollande wants to administer punishment beatings to anybody who chooses to escape, rather in manner of some sort of World War II movie, than I don&rsquo;t think that is the way forward,&quot; the former journalist told delegates at a political conference in New Delhi, reported AFP.

&quot;I think it&#39;s actually not in the interest of our friends and our partners.&quot;

Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday said Britain will leave the EU&#39;s single market after leaving the European Union in order to restrict immigration in a clean break from the politico-economic union.

Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called the minister&#39;s comments &quot;wild and inappropriate&quot;.

May&#39;s spokeswoman defended Johnson&#39;s statement saying it was a &quot;theatrical comparison&quot;.

&quot;He was making a point. He was in no way suggesting that anyone was a Nazi,&quot; she said.

Johnson&#39;s brother told BBC radio that Boris used &quot;colourful language&quot; to make a powerful point.

&quot;He was making a powerful point that we want a rational deal. He was using colourful language to get across an important point,&quot; Jo Johnson said.

May said Britain wanted a news customs deal with the EU that would focus on giving Britain &quot;the greatest possible access&quot; to the market on its departure.

On Wednesday, Johnson said Britain&#39;s decision to exit the single market did not mean it wanted to stop having access to EU countries, reported AFP.

&quot;We should be working together. It seems absolutely incredible to me that in the 21st century, the European Union... should be seriously contemplating the introduction of tariffs or whatever to administer punishment to (the) UK,&quot; he said.

&quot;And don&rsquo;t forget, these things cut both ways. After all, the Germans, as is well known, export one-fifth of their motor manufacturing output.&quot;

(With inputs from AFP)

Boris Johnson asserted that Britain should not be penalised for exiting the European Union

Britain's foreign minister Boris Johnson warned French President Francois Hollande against World War II-style "punishment beatings" for Brexit. Hollande has said it would not accept improved conditions for the UK when it leaves the single market. Johnson said that penalising Britain for leaving the EU would benefit no one and compared the approach to punishment given to escaped prisoners in war movies. "I think that if Monsieur Hollande wants to administer punishment beatings to anybody who chooses to escape, rather in manner of some sort of World War II movie, than I don’t think that is the way forward," the former journalist told delegates at a political conference in New Delhi, reported AFP. "I think it's actually not in the interest of our friends and our partners." Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday said Britain will leave the EU's single market after leaving the European Union in order to restrict immigration in a clean break from the politico-economic union. Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called the minister's comments "wild and inappropriate". May's spokeswoman defended Johnson's statement saying it was a "theatrical comparison". "He was making a point. He was in no way suggesting that anyone was a Nazi," she said. Johnson's brother told BBC radio that Boris used "colourful language" to make a powerful point. "He was making a powerful point that we want a rational deal. He was using colourful language to get across an important point," Jo Johnson said. May said Britain wanted a news customs deal with the EU that would focus on giving Britain "the greatest possible access" to the market on its departure. On Wednesday, Johnson said Britain's decision to exit the single market did not mean it wanted to stop having access to EU countries, reported AFP. "We should be working together. It seems absolutely incredible to me that in the 21st century, the European Union... should be seriously contemplating the introduction of tariffs or whatever to administer punishment to (the) UK," he said. "And don’t forget, these things cut both ways. After all, the Germans, as is well known, export one-fifth of their motor manufacturing output." (With inputs from AFP)

UK foreign minister Johnson warns against Brexit 'punishment beatings'

Prime Minister Theresa May unveiled her Brexit blueprint on Tuesday, announcing for the first time that Britain will leave Europe&#39;s single market in order to control EU immigration.

In a highly-anticipated speech, May warned the EU against imposing harsh terms on Britain&#39;s historic divorce from the bloc after more than four decades of membership.

She revealed that Britain would look to strike a new customs agreement with the EU to be able to carve out its own trade deals with the rest of the world.

In a concession to parliamentary critics, the Conservative leader also said lawmakers would get a vote on any final Brexit agreement negotiated with Brussels.

EU leaders have insisted that single market membership means accepting free movement -- a key issue in Britain&#39;s shock June referendum vote to become the first country to leave the 28-member grouping.

&quot;Brexit must mean control of the number of people who come to Britain from Europe. And that is what we will deliver,&quot; May told foreign ambassadors in London.

&quot;What I am proposing cannot mean membership of the single market.&quot;

EU immigration to Britain ran at 284,000 in the year to June 2016.

EU president Donald Tusk said May&#39;s plans were &quot;at least more realistic&quot; about what London wanted.

But the European Commission&#39;s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned that an orderly divorce from the bloc within the specified two years was a &quot;prerequisite&quot; for any future free trade deal.

Good deal or no deal

Britain has two years to negotiate a break-up deal once May triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, officially declaring the country&#39;s intention to quit, or face leaving with no agreement.

May said London could accept departing on such terms if Brussels played hardball, but it would hurt the EU hardest.

&quot;No deal for Britain is better than a bad deal for Britain,&quot; she said.

May has promised to trigger Article 50 by the end of March, and said she was confident that final settlements could be negotiated within the two-year timeframe.

Seeking to calm fears of a sudden jolt to the economy on abruptly leaving the EU in 2019, May said she would seek a &quot;phased process of implementation&quot;.

EU countries accounted for 44 percent of Britain&#39;s total exports in goods and services in 2015, with the country recording a &pound;68.6 billion ($82.7 billion, 77.9 billion euros) trade deficit with the bloc.

The single market without Britain covers 460 million people.

Brussels has estimated the bill Britain will have to pay at 55 to 60 billion euros, EU sources told AFP.

The British currency has endured a rocky ride since the June referendum, but sterling responded strongly to May&#39;s speech, wiping out losses earlier in the week to stand at $1.2379 at 1730 GMT.

&quot;The prime minister has adopted a more pragmatic approach to Brexit than expected, providing some much needed relief for the pound,&quot; NFS Macro analyst Nick Stamenkovic told AFP.

Meanwhile London stocks closed down 1.5 percent at 7,220.38 points.

Warning on &#39;punitive deal&#39;

May hinted that Britain might undercut the EU economically if it does not get a free trade deal.

Excluded from the single market, May said London would be free to change its economic model and &quot;set competitive tax rates&quot;.

&quot;There are some voices calling for a punitive deal that punishes Britain and discourages other countries from taking the same path.

&quot;That would be an act of calamitous self-harm for the countries of Europe.&quot;

Britain joined the European Economic Community in 1973 but was often an uncomfortable partner as the grouping moved to greater integration, refusing to join the euro currency or the Schengen open borders zone.

May said Britain voted to leave because Europe had not been flexible enough for voters on key issues, but Britain nonetheless wanted the EU to succeed, not unravel.

She said Britain would remain a key intelligence and security partner in Europe, as she couched her speech as repositioning Britain as an outward-looking global trading player.

Professor Anand Menon, director of The UK in a Changing Europe research initiative, said: &quot;Her ability to achieve the ambitions she set out will ultimately hinge on what her partners are willing to give her.&quot;

Scotland&#39;s nationalist First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said May&#39;s speech had made Scottish independence more likely.

&quot;The UK is heading for a hard Brexit, which threatens to be economically catastrophic,&quot; she said.

A new independence referendum is now &quot;even more likely&quot;.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said May had &quot;finally brought a bit more clarity&quot;.

&quot;We also want as good, close and trusting a relationship as possible,&quot; he said.

Britain&#39;s Supreme Court is due to rule later this month on whether May must seek parliamentary approval before triggering Article 50, which could delay the start of negotiations.

(AFP)

May unveiled her Brexit blueprint on Tuesday,?warning the EU against imposing harsh terms on Britain

Prime Minister Theresa May unveiled her Brexit blueprint on Tuesday, announcing for the first time that Britain will leave Europe's single market in order to control EU immigration. In a highly-anticipated speech, May warned the EU against imposing harsh terms on Britain's historic divorce from the bloc after more than four decades of membership. She revealed that Britain would look to strike a new customs agreement with the EU to be able to carve out its own trade deals with the rest of the world. In a concession to parliamentary critics, the Conservative leader also said lawmakers would get a vote on any final Brexit agreement negotiated with Brussels. EU leaders have insisted that single market membership means accepting free movement -- a key issue in Britain's shock June referendum vote to become the first country to leave the 28-member grouping. "Brexit must mean control of the number of people who come to Britain from Europe. And that is what we will deliver," May told foreign ambassadors in London. "What I am proposing cannot mean membership of the single market." EU immigration to Britain ran at 284,000 in the year to June 2016. EU president Donald Tusk said May's plans were "at least more realistic" about what London wanted. But the European Commission's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned that an orderly divorce from the bloc within the specified two years was a "prerequisite" for any future free trade deal. Good deal or no deal Britain has two years to negotiate a break-up deal once May triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, officially declaring the country's intention to quit, or face leaving with no agreement. May said London could accept departing on such terms if Brussels played hardball, but it would hurt the EU hardest. "No deal for Britain is better than a bad deal for Britain," she said. May has promised to trigger Article 50 by the end of March, and said she was confident that final settlements could be negotiated within the two-year timeframe. Seeking to calm fears of a sudden jolt to the economy on abruptly leaving the EU in 2019, May said she would seek a "phased process of implementation". EU countries accounted for 44 percent of Britain's total exports in goods and services in 2015, with the country recording a £68.6 billion ($82.7 billion, 77.9 billion euros) trade deficit with the bloc. The single market without Britain covers 460 million people. Brussels has estimated the bill Britain will have to pay at 55 to 60 billion euros, EU sources told AFP. The British currency has endured a rocky ride since the June referendum, but sterling responded strongly to May's speech, wiping out losses earlier in the week to stand at $1.2379 at 1730 GMT. "The prime minister has adopted a more pragmatic approach to Brexit than expected, providing some much needed relief for the pound," NFS Macro analyst Nick Stamenkovic told AFP. Meanwhile London stocks closed down 1.5 percent at 7,220.38 points. Warning on 'punitive deal' May hinted that Britain might undercut the EU economically if it does not get a free trade deal. Excluded from the single market, May said London would be free to change its economic model and "set competitive tax rates". "There are some voices calling for a punitive deal that punishes Britain and discourages other countries from taking the same path. "That would be an act of calamitous self-harm for the countries of Europe." Britain joined the European Economic Community in 1973 but was often an uncomfortable partner as the grouping moved to greater integration, refusing to join the euro currency or the Schengen open borders zone. May said Britain voted to leave because Europe had not been flexible enough for voters on key issues, but Britain nonetheless wanted the EU to succeed, not unravel. She said Britain would remain a key intelligence and security partner in Europe, as she couched her speech as repositioning Britain as an outward-looking global trading player. Professor Anand Menon, director of The UK in a Changing Europe research initiative, said: "Her ability to achieve the ambitions she set out will ultimately hinge on what her partners are willing to give her." Scotland's nationalist First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said May's speech had made Scottish independence more likely. "The UK is heading for a hard Brexit, which threatens to be economically catastrophic," she said. A new independence referendum is now "even more likely". German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said May had "finally brought a bit more clarity". "We also want as good, close and trusting a relationship as possible," he said. Britain's Supreme Court is due to rule later this month on whether May must seek parliamentary approval before triggering Article 50, which could delay the start of negotiations. (AFP)

Britain will leave EU single market: British PM May

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UK foreign minister Johnson warns against Brexit 'punishment beatings'

Britain will leave EU single market: British PM May