Labour’s latest Brexit policy puts jobs first, says city MP

LABOUR’S new policy on Brexit will protect jobs in the North East, shadow business minister Chi Onwurah says.

Ms Onwurah, Labour MP for Newcastle Central, said Labour’s proposals to retain “full access to the EU’s single market” were a “progression” of the party’s previous position.

She said the type of deal Labour wanted with the EU would have to include an agreement about immigration, but it would not mean support for unlimited freedom of movement.

The shadow minister spoke to The Chronicle after Labour tabled amendments to the Government’s Brexit legislation calling on ministers to negotiate “a new single market deal” giving full access to the single market, with shared UK-EU institutions and regulations.

There has been some confusion at Westminster about what the proposals mean. MPs will next week vote on proposals from the House of Lords for the UK to join the European Economic Area (EEA), effectively staying in the single market, but Labour is likely to abstain on this.

Some Labour backbenchers who are sceptical about Brexit are angry with the party leadership, because they believe the best hope of ensuring Brexit doesn’t destroy jobs is to join the EEA.

However, Ms Onwurah said that joining the EEA – known as the Norway option – would mean the UK had to obey rules made in Brussels without helping to make them.

And she said it might also mean accepting freedom of movement as it exists today, which would be unacceptable to many of those who supported the winning side in the 2016 EU referendum.

Ms Onwurah said: “We recognised continued membership of a customs union was required, and that’s what we’ll be voting on, and hopefully winning the vote on, next Tuesday.

“And now we’re recognising that continued to a single market is required for our economy, and that this means shared institutions and regulations.

“That is a position around which the Labour Party can unite.”

She added: “Businesses across the country but particularly in the North East, say that staying in the customs union and having access to a single market will be conditions for a jobs-first Brexit.”