Tonight, we are leaving the European
Union. For many people, this is an
astonishing moment of hope, a moment
they thought would never come.
And there are many, of course, who feel a
sense of anxiety and loss.
And then there's a third group, perhaps the
biggest, who had started to worry that
the whole political wrangle would
never come to an end.
I understand all those feelings
and our job as the government, my
job, is to bring this country together
now and take us forward.
The most important thing to say tonight is
that this is not an end, but a beginning.
This is the moment when the dawn breaks and
the curtain goes up on a new
act in our great national drama.
And yes, it's partly about using these new
powers, this recaptured sovereignty
to deliver the changes people voted for.
Whether that is by controlling immigration
or creating free ports or liberating
our fishing industry or doing free trade
deals or simply making our laws and rules
for the benefit of the people of this
country.
And of course, I think that is the right
and healthy and democratic thing
to do, because for all
its strengths and for all its admirable
qualities, the EU has evolved
over 50 years in a direction that no
longer suits this country.
And that is a judgment that you, the
people, have now confirmed at the polls,
not once, but twice.
And yet this moment is far bigger
than that. It's not just about some legal
extrication, it is potentially
a moment of real national renewal
and change. This is the dawn of a new era
in which we no longer accept that your life
chances, your family's life chances
should depend on which part of the country
you grow up in.
This is the moment when we really begin to
unite and level up, defeating crime,
transforming our NHS and with better
education, with superb technology and
with the biggest revival of our
infrastructure since the Victorians, we
will spread hope and opportunity
to every part of the UK.
And if we can get this right, I believe
that with every month that goes by, we
will grow in confidence, not just
at home, but abroad.
And in our diplomacy, our fight against
climate change, our campaigns for human
rights, female education, we will rediscover
muscles that we have not used
for decades.
The power of independent thought
and action, not because we want to detract
from anything done by our EU friends, of
course not.
We want this to be the beginning of a new
era of friendly cooperation
between the EU and an energetic Britain,
a Britain that is simultaneously
a great European power
and truly global in our range
and ambitions.
And when I look at this country's incredible
assets, ou scientists, our engineers,
our world leading universities, our armed
forces. When I look at the potential
of this country waiting to be unleashed,
I know that we can turn this opportunity
into a stunning success.
And whatever the bumps in the road ahead, I
know that we will succeed.
We have obeyed the will of the people, we've
taken back the tools of self-government.
Now is the time to use those tools
to unleash the full potential of this
brilliant country and to make better
the lives of everyone in every
corner of our United Kingdom.
