May says freedom of movement could continue during Brexit transition

European Union citizens could continue to work in the UK during a transitional period after Britain left the the bloc in 2019, said Prime minister Theresa Minister Theresa May.

She conceded that there would have to be time for businesses to adjust to trade after Brexit.

Speaking to reporters on her trip to the Middle East, May said an “implementation period” would be needed.

“If you think about it, once we’ve got the deal, once we’ve agreed what the new relationship will be for the future, it will be necessary for there to be a period of time when businesses and governments are adjusting systems and so forth, depending on the nature of the deal, a period of time during which that deal will be implemented.”

“What is crucial for the British public, what was part of the vote that they took last year, was that they want to ensure that we have control of our borders and control of our immigration and that’s exactly what we will do when we come out of the European Union,” she said.