AT the start of this week, David Davis MP gave a statement outlining his Departments progress on our Brexit negotiations. Though over two months have now passed since the result of the referendum, Brexit is still hitting the headlines daily and for good reason: it is a time of great opportunity as we forge a new relationship with our European neighbours.

This recent statement from David Davis, Secretary of State for the new Department for Exiting the European Union, was a positive one. He talked of the countries ministers have visited, travelling from Washington to Delhi, and the wide variety of groups with which ministers have met, including trade unions, charities, universities and businesses, in order to ensure that our EU negotiations benefit all members of our community. Furthermore, he reminded MPs that businesses are still putting their faith and money in this country. Softbank, GlaxoSmithKline and Siemens have all confirmed that they will make major investments in the UK over the summer.

With the optimism, however, came a healthy dose of caution. Bearing in mind just how crucial our exit of the EU is, he stressed that we must take our time before enacting Article 50. The government’s priorities in the months ahead will be to limit uncertainty during the transition. In recognition, the Chancellor Philip Hammond gave his assurance that funding equivalent to the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funding will continue until 2020, relieving uncertainty in the agricultural sector. This is not only good news for Worcestershire farmers but also for us here in Wyre Forest. The Forestry Commission, who are responsible for managing a large part of the Wyre Forest itself, are a large recipient of CAP funding.

It must be remembered that the negotiation process will not be brief or straightforward. It is going to require significant expertise and a consistent approach. It would be wrong to set out timelines before entering into a negotiation. We want to get the best deal for Britain, not the quickest one.

While leaving the EU will bring challenges, I am confident that Britain will flourish outside the EU, while keeping its members as our friends, allies and trading partners. Britain is open for business, and our ambition remains to be the best and easiest place to do business and to be an excellent global trading partner.