WORCESTER'S MP has claimed that Theresa May's big Brexit speech has won over a host of foreign diplomats and officials.

Robin Walker secured himself a second row seat for the PM's gambit at Lancaster House in London yesterday, where he was sat among a sea of representatives from other nations.

The Conservative, a Brexit minister, said the speech was warmly welcomed by the officials present - who viewed her hardline stance as clarity over the Government's position.

It comes despite the EU's chief negotiator Guy Verhofstadt calling her emphatic ultimatum "counter-productive".

Mr Walker said: "I was sat on the second row and the speech was very warmly received, including by a number of EU counterparts.

"There were a range of diplomats sat around me, I was surrounded by ambassadors from a real mix of countries, European nations, Australia, Argentina, and so on, and they welcomed it.

"What they got was a very clear vision of what Britain wants to achieve."

Meanwhile, Mid-Worcestershire's MP has urged the premier to ensure Britain still has "significant access to European markets" after Brexit is finalised.

Nigel Huddleston, who was among five of Worcestershire's six MPs to back Remain prior to the vote, said the UK's £75 billion trade deficit over the EU gives her a strong hand in the negotiations.

He said: "The Prime Minister rightly recognised it would be impossible for us to remain part of the Single Market if we do not accept freedom of movement.

"And as immigration was a major issue during the referendum, it's clear the deal we negotiate must include greater control of our borders.

"There is no reason, however, why we should not continue to have significant access to European markets with a robust free trade agreement for goods and services.

"Given that we have a £75 billion deficit with the EU and more EU jobs are reliant on trade with the UK than UK jobs are reliant on trade with the EU, we have strong cards to play in these negotiations."

He insisted her demands were "fair and reasonable" given the vote back in June.

Mrs May has told EU leaders she will walk away if they offer her a 'bad' Brexit deal, saying Brussels would be committing "an act of calamitous self-harm" by not giving tariff-free trade.

She even threatened to set up Britain as a low-tax rival if EU leaders tried to strike a punitive deal, saying that a tax-free arrangement was "the economically rational thing" to do.

She also confirmed Britain will quit the Single Market in order to wrestle back full control of its borders and laws.

Mr Verhofstadt, who is leading the EU into the forthcoming Brexit negotiations, says "cherry picking" the best bits of bloc membership are over.

"Threatening to turn the UK into a deregulated tax haven will not only hurt British people, it is a counter-productive negotiating tactic," he said.