Boris Johnson has suggested the UK is heading for a so-called "hard Brexit" after listening to Theresa May's speech on Britain's plans for leaving the EU.
The prime minister said Britain will retain control of its borders and not be under the jurisdiction of European courts after Brexit, strongly implying the country will leave the single market.
On the day she announced Article 50, the formal process of leaving the EU, would be triggered by March next year, the prime minister told delegates at the Conservative conference in Birmingham that there was "no such thing as a choice between 'soft Brexit' and 'hard Brexit'."
"We are going to be a fully-independent, sovereign country, a country that is no longer part of a political union with supranational institutions that can override national parliaments and courts," May said to applause.
"And that means we are going, once more, to have the freedom to make our own decisions on a whole host of different matters, from how we label our food to the way in which we choose to control immigration."
While she said she wanted to give British companies the "maximum freedom to trade with and operate in the single market", her confirmation that immigration and sovereignty were absolute red lines were the strongest indication yet that the government was prepared to leave the single market.
The pan-European single market guarantees the free movement and sale of goods and services.
Staying in the single market was a key aim of the Remain campaign during the EU referendum, while some pro-EU Tory MPs were among those hoping May would negotiate a Brexit deal that enabled the UK to retain access.
Johnson told BuzzFeed News the speech was "terrific", and that May had "clearly" made the point that Britain was heading for a "hard Brexit".
Addressing the conference hall minutes later, he said: "I know that not everyone will agree with this, but what the hell – I believe that vote on June 23 was for economic freedom and political freedom."
He went on: "We will remain committed to all kinds of European cooperation – at an intergovernmental level, whether it is maintaining sanctions against Russia for what is happening in Ukraine. or sending our navy to help the Italians stem the migrant flow through the central Mediterranean. But we will also be able to speak up more powerfully with our own distinctive voice."
Michael Fabricant, the MP for Lichfield, told BuzzFeed News that he "enjoyed" May's speech, one of two major addresses she will give at the conference. "Some of it had been released beforehand but it made very good sense to me. You can't negotiate in public," he said.
On the difference between hard and soft Brexit, Fabricant said: "Only computers are so dumb they think in ones and zeroes. My view is I don't see how we can stay in the single market because any customs union means you have to agree to the customs union's tariffs with other countries. We don't want that, and she made that very clear. What we do want is a free trade agreement with the single market so we can trade with them," he said.
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said the prime minister's speech was confirmation of "hard Brexit".
"No single market," he tweeted, "which means disaster for British jobs."
Brexit secretary David Davis told delegates that existing working rights would be guaranteed by the government after Britain left the EU.
He said: "When we leave, we will have provided the maximum possible certainty for British business - and also for British workers. To those who are trying to frighten British workers, saying 'When we leave, employment rights will be eroded', I say firmly and unequivocally “no they won’t.’"
He refused to provide a "running commentary" on negotiations, saying: "I’ve never met anyone doing a business deal who thinks it’s a smart idea to give away your bottom lines in advance."