May demands an EU divorce tailor-made for Britain

Theresa May was in Rome to meet Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minister. She played down the idea of Britain adopting a Norweigan-model relationship with the EU
Theresa May was in Rome to meet Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minister. She played down the idea of Britain adopting a Norweigan-model relationship with the EU
FRANCO ORIGLIA/GETTY IMAGES

Theresa May has demanded a Brexit deal tailor-made for Britain, warning that she would not accept an agreement already “on the shelf”.

The prime minister appeared to play down the chances of Britain adopting the so-called Norway model that would keep it in the single market, but also force it to pay in to the EU budget and accept its free movement rules.

Standing alongside Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minister, in Rome, she said: “I think we should be developing the model that suits the United Kingdom and the European Union, not adopting necessarily a model that’s on the shelf already.”

She also said that the rights of European citizens living in the UK to remain would depend on giving the same rights to