British prime minister was in Warsaw for talks with her Polish counterpart when the slip up happened

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

British prime minister Theresa May was left smirking at a press conference with her Polish counterpart on Thursday after an interpreter accidentally called her “Madam Brexit”.



May was in Warsaw for talks with prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki, with the discussions inevitably turning to Britain’s 2019 departure from the European Union.

Quick guide Main points of agreement in the Brexit deal Show Hide EU citizens EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the rest of the EU have the right to stay. Rights of their children and those of partners in existing “durable relationships” are also guaranteed.



UK courts will preside over enforcing rights over EU citizens in Britain but can refer unclear cases to the European court of justice for eight years after withdrawal. Irish border The agreement promises to ensure there will be no hard border and to uphold the Belfast agreement.

It makes clear the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland, will be leaving the customs union.



It leaves unclear how an open border will be achieved but says in the absence of a later agreement, the UK will ensure “full alignment” with the rules of the customs union and single market that uphold the Good Friday agreement.



However, the concession secured by the DUP is that no new regulatory barriers will be allowed between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK without the permission of Stormont in the interest of upholding the Good Friday agreement. Money There is no figure on how much the UK is expected to pay but the document sets out how the bill will be calculated – expected to be between £35bn and £39bn.



The UK agrees to continue to pay into the EU budget as normal in 2019 and 2020.

It also agrees to pay its liabilities such as pension contributions. Other issues The two sides agreed there would be need for cooperation on nuclear regulation and police and security issues.

There was an agreement to ensure continued availability of products on the market before withdrawal and to minimise disruption for businesses and consumers.

Part of Morawiecki’s opening speech was translated as: “It’s very important for us that this cooperation, even though it will be based soon on different rules and different regulations than it has been so far because of Brexit, because as Madam Brexit said, Brexit is Brexit.”

May was then seen smiling as Morawiecki went on, in a moment broadcast on international television.

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The two leaders signed a joint treaty on defence and security, and spoke about the next phase of the Brexit negotiations, due to begin in the new year.