Labour row erupts over Brexit vote as leadership accused of ‘betrayal’

Labour was engulfed in a new internal row over Brexit after the party’s leadership was accused of voting with Tories to scupper a bid to keep the UK in the EU customs union.

A Commons bid by Edinburgh South MP Ian Murray on Monday night would have prevented tariffs being added to imports, effectively blocking the UK government’s plans to leave the EU single market and customs union.

However, the move was opposed by members of Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet was defeated by 311 votes to 76, despite party policy calling for the UK to remain in the single market and customs union during a Brexit transition phase.

A Labour source was quoted saying that the party’s front bench had “betrayed Labour voters who thought we would stop a hard Brexit”. The source added: “We just watched John Mcdonnell and Barry Gardiner literally walk through the lobby with David Davis.”

Yesterday Mr Murray said: “I expected my amendment to lose, but I didn’t expect my own party front bench to aid and abet them.”

But senior Labour figures hit back, with shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner saying the amendment was opposed because it was “illiterate” and would have blocked tariffs from being imposed on any goods, not only those from the EU.

Last night ministers attempted to see off a rebellion by Tory MPS who are demanding that the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is retained in UK law.

Justice minister Dominic Raab said details of the postbrexit future for each article of the charter will be drawn up by December 5. But SNP justice spokeswoman Joanna Cherry said Mr Raab’s “little list” does “not have the same weight” in a court of a law.