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The Premier's remarkably clear shift on the UK's after-Brexit connections to the EU on Saturday was designed to signal to the business community, to Brussels, and to European partners, in addition to his party members.
Stronger following Brexit economic relations are now expected to be examined as part of an yearly cycle of government-to-government discussions as opposed to solely at the current year's structured evaluation of the UK-EU deal.
This represented the stated position to parliamentary pressure regarding a more ambitious renegotiation of relations that entailed returning to the customs union.
Some MPs, union leaders and government figures have joined calls to ideas formalised by parliamentary moves last year that culminated in a advisory motion.
"It is better prioritising the single market as opposed to the customs union for our future cooperation," the Prime Minister remarked.
He provided a definitive response that returning to the tariff union was not the priority, as it undermines what he views as a major accomplishment of the previous year: the conclusion of best-in-class deals with the United States and the Indian subcontinent, with more expected in the Middle East.
In place of the common external tariff, his emphasis is on forging a "more integrated partnership" with the single market, which would not mean abandoning those recently signed agreements with other nations.
When the UK officially exited the EU in the start of 2021, the negotiated settlement prioritised freedom from EU standards instead of seamless commerce for British firms to the continent.
The current reset outlines realigning with EU regulations in specific fields to promote the easier passage of trade: agri-food goods, electricity, and emissions trading.
A major business group last month published a detailed set of further requests in different fields to assist exporters overcome post-Brexit red tape that has hit the trade of goods.
Its own survey indicated that a significant number of companies surveyed felt that the UK-EU trade deal was not helping business expansion.
A host of further domains could, potentially, see a similar approach – convergence with internal market standards – in return for minimising post-Brexit barriers across production, in vehicles, industrial chemicals, or for example in VAT procedures.
EU governments were unimpressed by the lack of ambition in the previous recalibration, particularly the UK dismissal of proposals put forward by some experts regarding the effective return of British goods to the internal market.
The precise arrangements on energy cooperation and agri-food rules is remains to be settled. A initiative for UK companies to be part of a €150bn security initiative has stalled over the size of the financial commitment, after reservations from Paris. a non-EU country has joined the scheme.
The UK has agreed a deal to participate once more in a student mobility programme and to discuss a youth jobs scheme. This has facilitated progress for further UK-EU talks.
Analysts close to government note that the release last month of a Washington policy paper has altered the context on UK ties to the EU.
The document stated that the US would "foster opposition" to Europe's current trajectory and applauded the "increasing clout" of certain political parties.
Within the administration, there is some recognition that the global landscape has changed again.
At home, the leadership also foresees being outflanked on EU relations not only one opposition party, but additionally another, which is targeting its traditional heartlands in local votes.
The Prime Minister's weekend remarks are the product of a confluence of commercial realities, politics and international relations as the UK enters a year that will see the decade milestone of the historic Brexit referendum.
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