UK Prime Minister Theresa May shared her Chancellor’s view that Britain stood ready to consider alternative economic models following Brexit if forced to, her spokeswoman said yesterday.

Philip Hammond was quoted on Sunday as saying the country could change its economic model to regain competitiveness if it were to leave the EU without an agreement on access to the single market.

“She shares the view that (Hammond) set out. That we would want to remain in the mainstream of a recognisable European style taxation system,” she told reporters. “But if we are forced to do something different because we can’t get the right deal, then we stand ready to do so.”

The spokeswoman declined to comment on a fall in sterling to three-month lows over fears May will use a speech today to say Britain is set for a “hard” Brexit, making a clean break from the EU’s single market.

She also said she did not recognise media reports over the weekend which cited a government source saying May’s office was expecting a market correction as a result of the speech.

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