Theresa May and Boris Johnson ‘want close ties with Europe'

Brexit offers the UK the opportunity to “intensify” its relationships with European allies, Theresa May has insisted. Britain’s new prime minister said she wanted the European Union to be “strong and successful” once the UK had left the bloc.

Ms May was in Slovakia for talks with counterpart Robert Fico before heading to Poland for further discussions on preparing for Brexit.

She said: “It is important to underline that while the UK is leaving the EU, we are not leaving Europe or withdrawing from the world.

“Britain will remain an outward-looking nation, a strong voice for liberal, free market principles and democratic values.

Once we have left the EU, we will continue to work with our partners across Europe, indeed Brexit is an opportunity to intensify those relationships.

“And just as we want Britain to succeed outside the EU, we want the EU to be strong and successful after we depart.”

The thorny issue of migration was raised by Mr Fico in his opening statement alongside Ms May at the press conference in Bratislava.

Slovakia and Poland have voiced concern about the rights of their nationals currently in the UK, but Ms May has refused to guarantee the rights of EU citizens after Brexit unless similar guarantees are offered to Britons living and working abroad.

Britain is not expected to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty before the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the British foreign minister, Boris Johnson, has assured his French counterpart that the UK wants to remain “as close as possible” to France even after leaving the European Union.

Mr Johnson was speaking after talks in Paris with foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, who previously accused him of having “lied a lot” to voters during the referendum campaign, when he was a standard-bearer for Brexit.

Mr Johnson made no reference to their earlier differences, insisting that he is developing “a close and co-operative relationship” with Mr Ayrault.

“Even if the UK has voted to leave the EU, it doesn’t mean we will be leaving Europe,” said Mr Johnson.

“We wish to be as close as possible to our allies, most particularly France, throughout the forthcoming years.

“We have already started to develop a close and co-operative relationship and I hope it may continue while we face many challenges ahead together as friends and allies.”