Kier Starmer, Labour’s spokesman on Brexit, announces that Labour supports a transitional deal, on Single Market terms [Guardian]. [Labour List]. Given the time the Tories have wasted, there’s no time but to have a transitional agreement and the only options are the so called off-the-shelf agreements of which the EEA (which includes most of the single market) is the only one that might apply. I would suggest that this is a recognition of the weight of views in both the Labour Party in the country at large and in the PLP. They must have heard of the July meeting of the New Cross Labour Branch where left and right united around a motion supporting remaining in the single market.

We are not out of the woods yet since the terms will be negotiated by the Tories and I am still of the view that any transitional agreement, must by law be approved by a referendum. (It would seem I am in a minority of one).

The Labour List article, makes it clear that Starmer is talking about the nature of a transitional deal; if the Tories cave in (due to pressure from their Bremainers) and agree to an EEA transition, this may ensure Labour led by Corbyn will support the deal, and fail to vote to withdraw the Article 50 notice.

 

Transition

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