Theresa May: Brexit can 'change Britain for the better'

BBC - Theresa May has criticised those who believe a so-called "hard Brexit" is inevitable after the UK leaves the EU.

The prime minister said she wanted the UK to "operate within" the single market as part of a new relationship.

Speaking in London, she vowed to build a "shared society" in which wealth and opportunity were not the preserve of an elite, and injustices were tackled.

She said that Brexit provided an "opportunity to fundamentally change Britain for the better".

Outlining her social reform agenda in her most significant policy speech for three months, Miss May announced steps to improve mental health provision in the UK and transform attitudes to people suffering from mental health conditions.

She announced extra training for teachers, more online self-checking for those with concerns and a review of services for children and teenagers.

This approach, she said, was part of her wider belief in a "shared society" where the state intervenes to correct social and economic injustices.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, she was pressed on market reaction to comments she made on Sunday when she suggested the UK could not be expected to "keep bits" of its existing EU membership. The pound fell to a two-month low against major currencies on Monday, losing about 1% of its value.