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[...] On Brexit, she is clearly in charge and has said she will trigger the Article 50 exit clause by the end of next March, when talks about Britain’s departure will begin in earnest.
“It’s important that we don’t leave it for too long, otherwise people will lose faith in their politicians, they’ll think that we’re trying to pull the wool over their eyes.” While keeping an eye on the home front, where Tory Eurosceptics are keen to get on with Brexit, she is thinking ahead to Brussels and next year’s EU exit talks.
“What I’ve been saying to people is I want to see as smooth and orderly a process as possible,” she says. May supported Remain but was almost invisible in the campaign, to Cameron’s fury. “Of course, it’s going to be complex because there’s a lot to deal with,” she says. “You’re not a member of something for 40-odd years and then it’s easy.”
She accepts that the remaining 27 EU countries have their own agenda, hinting that Britain may not — in the words of Johnson — expect to “have its cake and eat it”. She says: “They don’t want to see others looking to break away and to vote to leave in the way the UK has done.” The atmosphere around the talks could be tense: “Things will be said,” she says. “I think it’s important for us to build up the relationship with the people we’re negotiating with.” [...]
Full interview on Financial Times (subscription requried)