Umunna: The prime minister can’t settle for anything less than single market access and reformed free movement

It is not too late for the prime minister to push for full participation in the single market and reform free movement of people, Chuka Umunna has said.

In a foreword for a pamphlet by Policy Network and Open Britain, Umunna urges the prime minister to “chart a different course” saying that there are ways to lead on Europe wide reform on free movement which could tackle public concerns on immigration.

Policy Network experts believe that it is possible for a different negotiating approach from the Tories could yield results on these key areas of concern. The paper argues that Britain has got goodwill amongst EU nations, but that this being eroded by the government’s hardline approach to Brexit, for instance over the residence status of EU nationals.

A Labour amendment, with cross party support, defeated the government on the issue of residency rights for EU nationals in the Lords. 

Umunna, the former shadow business secretary, says: “It [the pamplet] makes clear that a more intelligent, subtle diplomatic strategy – based on goodwill rather than grandstanding – could win a Brexit deal for Britain that both retains our membership of the single market and gives us more control over the immigration system.

“New thinking, both domestically and diplomatically, is the only thing that can avoid a destructive Brexit that makes working people worse off.

“If Theresa May and her ministers truly want to make Brexit a success, they should end the ‘no deal is better than a bad deal’ grandstanding and approach the forthcoming negotiations with the EU in the spirit of cooperation, not confrontation and threat.”