Labour flags up change in EU policy with push for ‘new single market deal’

Labour has signalled a further change in policy towards a soft Brexit, saying it will push for a “new single market” deal for the UK as the government faces crunch votes in the Commons next week.

Jeremy Corbyn’s frontbench has tabled amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill which would call on Theresa May to make maintaining “full access” to the EU “internal market” an objective of the negotiations with Brussels.

However, the party leadership will not back some of its MPS in supporting membership of the single market through the EEA, a bloc that includes Norway. Labour leader Mr Corbyn said: “We want the UK to have a better deal than the Norway model.”

Mrs May will seek to overturn the 15 changes to her flagship Brexit legislation introduced in the Lords in a marathon one-day showdown in the Commons next week. Meanwhile, a new poll has found 47 per cent of voters think leaving the EU is wrong, against just 40 per cent who say it is the right thing to do – the widest margin since the referendum.