Labour makes dramatic shift on Brexit and single market

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  • Labour is to announce a dramatic policy shift by backing continued membership of the EU single market beyond March 2019, when Britain leaves the EU, establishing a clear dividing line with the Tories on Brexit for the first time.

    In a move that positions it decisively as the party of “soft Brexit”, Labour will support full participation in the single market and customs union during a lengthy “transitional period” that it believes could last between two and four years after the day of departure, it is to announce on Sunday.

    This will mean that under a Labour government the UK would continue to abide by the EU’s free movement rules, accept the jurisdiction of the European court of justice on trade and economic issues, and pay into the EU budget for a period of years after Brexit, in the hope of lessening the shock of leaving to the UK economy. In a further move that will delight many pro-EU

    Labour backers, Jeremy Corbyn’s party will also leave open the option of the UK remaining a member of the customs union and single market for good, beyond the end of the transitional period.

    https://www.theguardian.com/global/2017/au…iod-post-brexit

    So basically what Corbyn is going for is staying in the EU in all but name. It's a shrewd move on his part and really highlights May's disadvantage in losing her majority because the Remainers and soft Brexiteers will have to support him regardless of his other polices if they feel strongly enough about the issue. The worry is that there are lot of Remainers and soft Brexiteers in the Tory ranks.

  • The worry is that there are lot of Remainers and soft Brexiteers in the Tory ranks.

    But, I don't think they would ever support Corbyn, though.

    This was hardly surprising really, was it? Corbyn who hated Europe is now a born again Remainer.

    He sees his chance of power and so everything else goes out the window. Greasy pole and all that.

    The real fight will come in 2019. There will be one massive fight. Gina Miller already suggested she may do another appeal to the Supreme Court, so what with her, Corbyn and others, Brexit is by no means a certainty.

    I hope someone asks Corbyn about his statement after the referendum result that he would uphold the judgement of the British people.

  • Is he proposing EEA membership instead of EU membership? For me that's OK, not ideal but I'm not an idealist. My first priority in quitting was getting away from the unaccountable political behemoth that is the EU. Corbyn's plan seems contain that.

    Whilst I am against the farce of open borders and would rather be able to attract skilled workers from any where than EU citizens who just come here because it's easy and cool, I am under no illusion that quitting the EU will change that much.

  • itll happen - and I for one will be happy. As to its terms- well.... a lot can happen between now & then.

    The eu will lose our payments- thatll mean their prices & taxes rising-

    If freedom of movement ends along with tighter immigration ; the eu court of human rights loses its power over UK courts ; and we can trade Worldwide then Im well happy. Im a Leave voter & never in my life have I felt SO strongly over withdrawing from the eu.

    I love Europe & European people.

    Its the eu I have a problem with.

    Mrs May has had her fingers burnt & shouldnt have called an election early. However, they still have a good majority & corbyn didnt come anywhere near.

    Get on with the bloody job in hand- do the job we pay you to do & bloody get on with it!

    As for the eu dictating to us what they want- theyll get what we give them & no more.

    The tories are in for another 5 years now, till 2022. By the time of the next election, Great Britain will no longer be an eu member state, and should have been so for a while.

  • Source

  • This was always going to happen.

    Corybn has a genuine chance of the "top job" and always been against the EU like all of the far left, but all that gets thrown out of the window when it comes to a chance to get grab power.

    As I've said before, we may in 2019 have a perfect storm trying to block brexit. Corbyn tying to block legislation and Gina Miller and others using the legal system against the democratic wishes of a majority of people to try and mess Brexit up. They may yet succeed, but they walk a dangerous path if you go against the wishes and vote of the majority.

  • I was just about to make a joke about pikes, bodies and a certain London bridge, but in light of circumstances this year, thought better of it.X/

    But those in Westminster need to be careful if they go against the wishes of the majority, something many of the old Labour MPs like Frank Field keep warning their uber lefty colleagues about.

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