Corbyn risks being the ‘midwife of hard Brexit’ warns David Miliband

relationship with Brussels, inside the EEA, would be a ‘safe harbour’ for the UK David Miliband has warned Jeremy Corbyn that he risks being the “midwife of a hard Brexit” if he orders Labour MPS to oppose remaining in the single market.

The former foreign secretary lined up with senior Tory and Liberal Democrat excabinet ministers in a crossparty push for the UK to keep close ties with Brussels.

In a rare intervention in UK politics, Mr Miliband - who now leads the New Yorkbased International Rescue Committee aid agency - said he was baffled by Mr Corbyn’s opposition to membership of the European Economic Area (EEA).

A Norway-style relationship with Brussels, inside the EEA, would be a “safe harbour” for the UK as it left behind its status as a full European Union member, Mr Miliband suggested.

Dozens of Labour peers rebelled in the House of Lords to support an amendment which would make EEA membership a negotiating objective for the Government.

Mr Miliband suggested that Labour MPS should follow suit even if the party leadership orders them not to support it.

“I am baffled about why the Labour leadership is so worried about supporting the EEA position. I fear the position that they have taken makes Jeremy Corbyn the midwife of a hard Brexit,” he said.

Rejecting the EEA would result in being “driven to a hard Brexit” which impedes trade and undermines employment and environmental standards, he suggested. I think there is a real onus on parliamentarians now, when the House of Lords amendment finally comes back to the House of Commons.

“You have seen many Labour peers who know the value of loyalty talking about the essence of doing the right thing this time and my own view is that peers are ahead of the party leadership when it comes to this EEA issue.”

Appearing alongside Mr Miliband was Tory former cabinet minister Nicky Morgan, who indicated she was likely to support the Lords amendment when it comes before MPS.

Mr Miliband left the frontline of British politics after defeat at the hands of his brother Ed in the Labour leadership contest in 2010.

Asked if he had discussed the forthcoming EEA vote with his brother - who is still an MP - Mr Miliband said: “The golden rule that Ed and I have always had is that we work really hard to make sure that our private relationship remains private.”

But he added: “Of course we talk about politics.”