Labour reiterates stance on customs union

LABOUR has denied suggestions that Jeremy Corbyn told the European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator he was open to remaining in the existing customs union after Britain’s withdrawal from the bloc.

The party’s policy has been to remain open to a form of customs union, but to leave the existing EU version, which allows tariff-free trade in goods across member states’ borders.

The Government has ruled out remaining in any form of customs union, instead pursuing a customs partnership or arrangement in an attempt to maintain frictionless trade.

The Telegraph reported details of an EU memo of a meeting between Mr Corbyn and Michel Barnier earlier this week, drawn up after a debrief between the chief negotiator and ambassadors from the other 27 member states.

According to the note, the Labour leader said he was open to remaining in the customs union, the newspaper reported.

But a spokesman for the Labour leader said: “Jeremy did not say he was open to staying in the customs union. He said that a customs union was a viable end point.

“We have been clear all the way through that you can’t be in the customs union if you are not in the EU.”

Meanwhile, Theresa May has urged senior ministers to be “bold” in aiming for a unique post-Brexit relationship with the EU but warned it must command “widespread support”.

The Prime Minister delivered her message during a two-hour meeting of her inner “war Cabinet” yesterday which failed to agree on what future UK-EU trade relationship to pursue during negotiations.

A Number 10 source said: “The PM told the Brexit Cabinet that the Government had to be ambitious in the deal we seek.

“She said her starting point was to aim for something that hadn’t been done before in order to come to a new relationship that will last a generation or more.

“Her approach is to seek a deal that is bold, in the best interests of the UK and that will carry widespread support.”