LABOUR MAY DO A U-TURN OVER BREXIT
Party’s election guru speaks out
LABOUR could switch its stance on Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn’s election campaign chief says.
Andrew Gwynne suggested support for leaving the EU could be “flexible” if the public turns against the idea.
The remainer’s warning of possible backtracking came as a senior Tory claimed Brexit will “destroy” Britain.
The shadow communities secretary spoke out amid a battle over whether Labour backs leaving the single market and customs union.
He said: “Once what Brexit is going to look like becomes more apparent, it may well be the situation changes sufficiently that the party’s nuanced position might have more flexibility.
“I think we’ve got to tread that very fine cautious line on Brexit that got us through the election.” But he made it clear weakening of support for a hard Brexit could only come if the public mood changes.
He said: “We need to put jobs and the economy first in negotiations and be flexible in our approach to Brexit.
“This isn’t about ignoring how people voted last year, it’s about ensuring the deal we get in negotiations works for everyone in the UK, not just hard-line Tory backbenchers.” Meanwhile the unnamed Tory told the Times: “The Brexiteers think we are going sail off into some glorious imperial world without realising in the modern age we are interdependent. We are in a ‘damned if we do, damned if we don’t’ bind. If we try to cancel exit we destroy ourselves, if we go ahead we destroy the country.” Mr Gwynne is credited with overseeing Labour’s election campaign. Deutsche Bank is reportedly preparing to move hundreds of staff and billions of pounds from London to Germany ahead of Brexit. A recent report said as many as 70,000 jobs in financial services could be lost when Britain quits the EU.