SNP seeks a united push for soft Brexit

The SNP’S leader at Westminster has invited Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn to a new year cross-party summit on retaining membership of the single market and customs union.

Ian Blackford said safeguarding membership would protect jobs, incomes and workers’ rights from the “catastrophic damage” of an extreme Brexit.

His party, the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party are all committed to remaining in the single market and customs union despite Prime Minister Theresa May ruling out the move.

Mr Blackford has invited opposition leaders to the summit in the House of Commons on 8 January – the first day back from the Westminster Christmas recess.

He said: “As we move into the crucial second phase of the Brexit negotiations it is now absolutely vital that we have an effective cross-party effort to safeguard our membership of the single market and customs union.

“Extreme Tory Brexit plans to drag Scotland and the UK out of the single market would cause catastrophic damage to the economy, costing hundreds of thousands of jobs and hitting people’s incomes.”