Labour demand ‘new single market’ deal post Brexit

The move stops just short of calling for the full single market membership sought by a vocal group of Labour MPs after the Lords backed a Norway-style membership of the European Economic Area.

But the measure – which has been tabled as an alternative to the Lords amendment to the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill – is aimed at delivering the same benefits as single market membership.

Corbyn said: ‘We are confident we can build a new relationship with the EU. We want the UK to have a better deal than the Norway model.’

It is understood Labour MPs will abstain on the Lords EEA amendment but will be asked to back the party’s call for a ‘bespoke’ deal which would see shared UK-EU institutions and regulations.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said: ‘Labour will only accept a Brexit deal that delivers the benefits of the single market and protects jobs and living standards.

‘Unlike the Tories, Labour will not sacrifice jobs and the economy in the pursuit of a reckless and extreme interpretation of the referendum result.

‘Existing single market agreements that the EU has negotiated with third countries, including Norway, are bespoke deals negotiated with the EU to serve the best interests of those countries.

‘We need to learn from them and negotiate our own more ambitious agreement, which serves our economic interests and which prevents a hard border in Northern Ireland.

‘Two years on from the referendum it is clear that the Government has no plan for how it will protect jobs and the economy, and guarantee no hard border in Northern Ireland.

‘Labour’s amendment, along with a commitment to negotiate a new comprehensive customs union with the EU, is a strong and balanced package that would retain the benefits of the single market.

‘Parliament should have the opportunity to debate and vote on it.’

But in a sign that some Labour MPs will still push for full single market membership, Chuka Umunna said: ‘All the way through the passage of this Bill, the only amendments which have commanded support on both sides of the House and passed are cross-party backbench ones.

‘So, if we are serious about ‘protecting full access to the internal market of the EU’ and ensuring ‘no new impediments to trade’, logic dictates Labour MPs should be whipped to support the cross-party EEA amendment sent to us by the House of Lords.’

Meanwhile, disagreement with Britain’s decision to quit the European Union has reached its highest point since the 2016 Brexit referendum, according to a new poll.

The YouGov survey found 47% of voters thought the decision to leave was wrong, against just 40% who said it was the right thing to do – the widest margin since the weekly survey began two years ago.

The 47% who told YouGov the Brexit decision was wrong was up three points on last week and equalled the highest figure since the tracker poll began in August 2016. The 40% saying the decision was right was down three points since last week and the lowest yet recorded.

Some 73% of Labour voters and 83% of Lib Dems said the Brexit decision was wrong, while 69% of Conservative voters said it was right. Some 81% of those who backed Leave in 2016 said they still believed it was the right decision, with 9% now saying it was wrong.

A majority (62%) said the Government was handling Brexit negotiations badly, against 23% who thought it was doing well.

Those backing the Brexit decision have outnumbered those who think it was wrong in the regular survey on only one occasion since July 2017.

– YouGov interviewed 1,670 voters for The Times weekly tracker poll on May 28 and 29.