BREXIT SHOWDOWN: Theresa May ready for ‘frank’ EU talks with Angela Merkel

PRIME Minister Theresa May has called for "frank and open" talks as she sets off for meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and France's President Francois Hollande.

Mrs May makes her first overseas visit as PM determined to maintain strong trade links with Europe once the UK leaves, and aims to deliver a clear message she wants to maintain — and even strengthen — close relations with their countries.

She has already spoken to the German and French leaders on the phone but their first face-to-face meetings are expected to set the tone for the tough Brexit negotiations that lie ahead.

Mrs May said maintaining strong trading links in Europe was vital to ensuring the UK "made a success" of Brexit.

Mrs Merkel and Mr Hollande both face re-election next year and are already coming under domestic political pressure to drive a hard bargain with the UK.

They have declared Britain can expect no special exceptions in terms of continued access to the EU's single market if freedom of movement is ended.

Mrs May said she does not expect formal Brexit talks to get under way before the end of the year as she consults with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments as well as business, industry and other stakeholders about the way ahead.

She said: “These visits will be an opportunity to forge a strong working relationship that we can build upon and which I hope to develop with more leaders across the European Union in the weeks and months ahead.

“I do not underestimate the challenge of negotiating our exit from the European Union and I firmly believe that being able to talk frankly and openly about the issues we face will be an important part of a successful negotiation.”

The Prime Minister travels to Berlin after her first Prime Minister's Questions where she is likely to be challenged over the timetable for invoking Article 50 which triggers the process of leaving the EU.

She will cross swords with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in the House of Commons for the first time at just after midday in what will be the last PMQs before Parliament breaks up for the summer recess on Thursday.