Brexit Negotiations: UK prime minister lays out goals for British exit from EU

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UK Prime Minister Theresa May has called on the European Union to demonstrate compromise in its Brexit talks with Britain. And for the first time, she's told UK voters that it's time to face some hard facts about the divorce. CGTN's Richard Bestic reports from London.

As an Arctic blast sweeps Britain, the UK prime minister has been sending out her warmest words yet to Brexit negotiators in Brussels.

Gone is the woman who claimed "no deal is better than a bad deal" to be replaced by the sounds of conciliation.

THERESA MAY UK PRIME MINISTER "What I am seeking is a relationship that goes beyond the transactional to one where we support each other's interests. So, I want the broadest and deepest possible partnership covering more sectors and co-operating more fully than any free trade agreement anywhere in the world today."

In a tone removed from earlier caustic talks, the prime minister said she recognized the EU's principles, and she called for compromise with Brussels' Brexit negotiators.

THERESA MAY UK PRIME MINISTER "We both need to face the fact that this is a negotiation. Neither of us can have exactly what we want. But I am confident we can reach agreement. We both want good access to each other's markets; we want competition between us to be fair and open and we want reliable transparent means of verifying we are meeting our commitments and resolving our disputes."

As Britain does 60 percent of its trade with the European Union, May promised to be "straight with people" as the country braces itself for Brexit. The prime minister said it'll mean less access to a rich market of 500 million people.

THERESA MAY UK PRIME MINISTER "I want to be straight with people. Because the reality is that we all need to face up to some hard facts. We're leaving the single market. Life is going to be different. In certain ways access to each other's markets will be less than it is now."

She promised no cherry picking of the EU's best bits, but maintained her red lines around the free movement of labor and Europe's customs union.

RICHARD BESTIC LONDON "This was a speech as much about tone as it was about laying out Britain's negotiating position. On the detail of the arguments - the Irish border for example - there's a long way to go. RB,CGTN London."