Labour in chaos after Starmer says UK could stay in customs union after Brexit
LABOUR’S Brexit plans descended into chaos yesterday after Sir Keir Starmer suggested the UK should remain in the customs union and try to negotiate a new form of single market membership outside of the European Union.
The shadow Exiting the EU secretary said Britain will leave the EU as another referendum is “not viable”, but the option of retaining UK membership of the customs union “should be left on the table”.
Both Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, and John Mcdonnell, his shadow chancellor, have insisted the party is formally committed to taking Britain out of the single market and the customs union.
Britain will only be able to sign trade deals with other countries outside the EU if it also leaves the customs union.
Sir Keir’s comments highlight the split at the heart of Labour over Brexit between Mr Corbyn, who is considered more Eurosceptic, and his predominantly pro-european shadow cabinet.
The divisions over the issue are such that the policy was not set out fully in Labour’s election manifesto, which instead referred generally to “retaining the benefits of the single market”.
During an interview on BBC 1’s Andrew Marr Show, Sir Keir said Theresa May had “alienated our allies in Europe” with her Brexit approach.
He also said Britain could not stay in the single market in “an unreformed, unchanged way”.
He said: “You can only be a full member of the single market if you are an EU member and therefore it is obvious that we are looking for something else.
“The question is do we leave options on the table, and I’ve said repeatedly – yes, let’s leave options on the table.”
Sir Keir acknowledged freedom of movement for people would end after Brexit but said membership of the customs unions should “stay on the table”.
Asked whether Britain could stay inside the customs union, he said: “Yes.”
He added: “I think the Prime Minister has got us into a complete mess. She’s got no mandate here and she’s got no authority abroad and the negotiation starts tomorrow.
“Things have to change. Her approach so far has alienated our allies in Europe, it’s weakened our position with the EU and it’s actually got us into the worst possible starting position.”
Later, pressed over the party’s stance on Britain leaving the EU, John Mcdonnell, the shadow chancellor, told Sky News yesterday: “Once you leave the EU, formally you are outside the single market. But what we are trying to get is tariff-free access to the single market.
“I don’t care how we get it in terms of the structure as long as we get access to the single market tariff free and that means also we are not constrained by the existing rules of the single market and that’s obviously freedom of movement.
“The structures become immaterial to achieve the objectives.”
He has previously said the issue of single market will not be “on the table” in Brexit negotiations, adding that trying to retain membership would mean failing to respect the result of the EU referendum.
Labour has struggled to nail down its position on whether Britain can stay within the single market, which could form a key part of the Brexit negotiations due to start today.
Last week Barry Gardiner, the shadow trade secretary, also appeared to suggest the UK should try to negotiate a new form of single market membership.