Labour, EU and the single market: who’s said what?

In the summer recess, Labour is using the time away from Westminster to debate what the party’s Brexit position should be. Various key figures are pushing for different stances, particularly on the single market, and here’s an overview on where people stand.

Jeremy Corbyn: 

The Labour leader said a little over a week ago that he would take Britain out of the single market were he prime minister. Speaking on the Marr show, he said: “The single market is dependent on membership of the EU.”

“What we have said all along is that we want tariff-free trade access to the European market and a partnership with Europe in the future … The two things are inextricably linked”.

Sadiq Khan: 

The mayor of London, and arguably Labour’s most senior elected official, said at the weekend that the party could legitimately stop Brexit with another vote – either a fresh referendum or a manifesto pledge. 

Khan, who of course represents a heavily Remain city, said to The Guardian:  “You’d have to spell out, in black and white, what we’d do if we won the general election. What could trump the referendum result is us having a manifesto offer saying, we would not leave the EU, or we would have a second referendum.”

Emily Thornberry:

The shadow foreign secretary said last night that Labour isn’t “sweeping any options off the table” on Europe.

Angela Rayner: 

The shadow education secretary, a key figure on the left of the party and one of the high fliers of the 2015 intake, has struck caution on the idea of Labour overturning the referendum result.

She said to The Guardian that there is “absolutely no way you can disrespect the way the people voted.”

“If it was a popular thing on the streets of Britain, there could be another referendum, but until the general public has a change of heart, we’re going to exit Europe,” she added.

Keir Starmer:

Midway through last week, the shadow Brexit secretary insisted that no option should be “swept off the table”.

TUC:

Owen Tudor, the TUC’s head of EU and international relations, wrote for us on why staying in the single market can be coupled with an alternative approach to free movement. 

Manuel Cortes, TSSA:

The head of the pro-Corbyn union has been one the most high profile figures on the left of the party calling for Labour to restart the remain fight.

Cortes wrote for us a few weeks ago on why the party needs to restart the remain fight as the best guard against Tory austerity, and he’s doubled down on those remarks today. 

LabourList readers: 

Our readers have overwhelmingly backed Labour adopting a pro-single market position, but have also warned that the party’s splits on the issue could impact on our high poll ratings.

Chris Williamson:

In an interview with LabourList, the shadow fire minister and fiercely pro-Corbyn Derby North MP, rejected the idea that the party could move to a pro-single market decision, signalling that it was too similar to rehashing the Remain campaign. 

Carwyn Jones:

The Welsh first minister has urged for Britain to effectively stay in the single market, and to reject the “nationalist Brexit” on offer from the Tories.

John McDonnell: 

After Jones’ comments, when out campaigning in Wales, the shadow chancellor seemed to shift Labour’s position a little, insisting that the Welsh and British leaders of the party are “on the same page on Brexit”.

McDonnell said: “Whether we’re in, [the single market] whether we’re out, we’re not ruling anything out.”

Diane Abbott: 

On Newsnight, the shadow home secretary reiterated this line of single market membership still being on the table.