Fox warns Corbyn and rebels not to ‘sell out’

Remaining in a customs union with the EU after Brexit would be “a complete sell-out of Britain’s national interests” which would leave the UK in a worse position than it is now, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has said.

Dr Fox’s warning comes a day after Jeremy Corbyn unveiled a dramatic shift in Labour’s Brexit stance, confirming the party will back a “new and comprehensive” UKEU customs union to ensure tariff-free trade.

Mr Corbyn’s initiative has set the scene for possible defeat for Theresa May in an upcoming Commons vote on the Trade Bill.

Remaining in the customs union would mean accepting EU rules on trade in goods without any say in how they are made, Mr Fox said.

In a warning to Tories tempted to join Labour in voting for an amendment requiring the Government to seek a postbrexit customs union, Dr Fox said: “As rule takers, without any say in how the rules were made, we would be in a worse position than we are today. It would be a complete sell-out of Britain’s national interests.”