Theresa May has confirmed that the UK will not seek membership of the EU's Single Market, in a major speech in central London on Tuesday (17 January).

"Being out of the EU but a member of the Single Market would mean complying with the EU's rules and regulations that implement those freedoms, without having a vote on what those rules and regulations are," the prime minister said.

"It would mean accepting a role for the European Court of Justice that would see it still having direct legal authority in our country. It would to all intents and purposes mean not leaving the EU at all."

The address at the Foreign Office's Lancaster House comes around two months before the prime minister plans to invoke Article 50 – the mechanism to break from Brussels – and trigger talks with the EU.

May ruled out a "half-in, half-out" split from the economic and political bloc following the UK's vote to leave the EU at a 23 June referendum.

Brexit Theresa May European Union