Labour plan to thwart Brexit
Vow to stay in single market and keep EU diktats
LABOUr will today pledge to tear up Theresa May’s ‘reckless’ Brexit strategy and rule out leaving the EU without a deal.
Sir Keir Starmer will say his priority is to retain the benefits of the single market and customs union – opening the way to continued immigration.
In a major speech, Labour’s Brexit spokesman will promise to scrap the white paper that the Prime Minister unveiled in February, replacing it with a weaker set of negotiating priorities.
He will rule out walking away without a deal – potentially handing all the negotiating power to Brussels.
Sir Keir will promise to retain hundreds of EU directives even after we leave the bloc, saying they are essential to preserve workers’ rights and the environment.
And he will say that ‘ on day one’, a Labour government would unilaterally guarantee existing rights for all EU nationals in Britain – before Brussels does the same for UK nationals on the continent.
Tory MPs said Labour was rejecting its own voters and seeking to overturn the referendum result. The soft Brexit position will be seen as an attempt to win pro-remain voters from the Liberal Democrats.
There is no mention in the speech extracts of free movement, raising the prospect that Labour would submit to high immigration levels in return for single market access.
Speaking yesterday in Scotland, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accused the Conservatives of ‘trying to use Brexit to turn Britain into a low-wage tax haven run in the interests of the powerful’.
He insisted: ‘Labour will negotiate a Brexit that will build on the gains won for workers, consumers and the environment in the European Union. We will put jobs, living standards and human rights first.’ In his speech, Sir Keir will say he would negotiate with Brussels to avoid a cliff- edge for the economy and would not accept ‘no deal’ as a viable option.
‘A Labour government will set out a new Brexit strategy,’
‘No idea how to negotiate’
he will say. ‘We will scrap the Government’s Brexit white paper and replace it with fresh negotiating priorities that reflect Labour values and our six tests. The white paper will have a strong emphasis on retaining the benefits of the single market and the customs union as Labour know that is vital to protecting jobs.’
‘Where Theresa May wants to shut down scrutiny and challenge, Labour will welcome it,’ he will say. ‘A Labour approach to Brexit means legislating to guarantee that Parliament has a truly meaningful vote on the final Brexit deal.’
Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: ‘Labour are not the party of business, so it is not surprising they do not know that without a “walk-away” position you will never get a deal done.’ Fellow Conservative Philip Davies said: ‘Labour clearly has no idea about how to negotiate.’
Lord Mandelson last night said Labour was not ‘differentiating their position and their policy on Brexit sufficiently from the Government’.
Asked what their stance was, the former Labour minister told BBC Newsnight: ‘Search me.’ On whether Mr Corbyn should remain as leader in the event of a defeat, the peer replied: ‘I hope he doesn’t stay.’