Labour create fresh chaos on EU as one of Jeremy Corbyn’s Brexit team says Britain could STAY in single market after all
Sir Keir Starmer broke with his leader and said nothing should be 'swept' off the negotiating table
LABOUR descended into fresh chaos over the EU today as a member of Jeremy Corbyn’s Brexit team broke with the leader – and said Britain could STAY in the single market.
Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer said nothing should be “swept” off the negotiating table before talks begin.
And he appeared to go back on an April commitment to “end” free movement, instead saying Labour may seek “some” change to current rules.
He was backed by Shadow Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner who said Britain should push for a “reformed” membership of the single market.
Yesterday both Mr Corbyn and his shadow chancellor John McDonnell said it was inevitable Britain would be leaving the single market as a result of Brexit.
The Labour leader replied “absolutely” when asked if Brexit would mean an end to single market membership.
An hour later, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell added: “I can’t see it even being on the table in the negotiations, I don’t think it’s feasible.”
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Sir Keir Starmer and Barry Gardiner form Labour’s Brexit negotiating team with Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry.
Speaking this lunchtime, Sir Keir said: “Sometimes I think that in the campaign we got too far down in the weeds of the difference between access, full-access and membership.
“Let’s focus on what the real outcomes are.”
He added: “We need to send a message to our EU partners that we want collaboration, we want cooperation, and we’re going to do this in a grown-up, mature way.
“What the government’s said is: it’s simply too hard, sweep all the options off the table. In so doing it has created this extreme form of Brexit, which has now been rejected by electorate.”