Labour’s plan for Brexit was clarified by Jeremy Corbyn on Monday, he confirmed that a Labour government would seek a customs union but leave the single market. He further clarified that they would put jobs and living standards at the forefront of trade negotiations. The type of Brexit that Labour are after is perfectly doable, yet there have been those in the party, who represent the leave and remain camps who have condemned the plans.
Prominent Labour leaver, Frank Fields, spoke out against a customs union with the EU and pro-EU MP, Chris Leslie, was outspoken against leaving the single market.
Perhaps this shows he has found the perfect Middle Ground?
The middle ground
The problem with Brexit is the fact that the vote was almost split down the middle and whilst there were those who voted leave because they were misled, there were those who knew exactly what they wanted, with migration and sovereignty playing key roles in those decisions. Those two concepts playing a prominent role in people’s decisions underlines the lack of information and failures of the education system but that’s a conversation for another time.
Whoever had won the election last year was always going to need to find the middle ground with Brexit and run with it, but we have had a government who haven’t been able to come up with a coherent plan, despite key leave figures playing important roles within the government that encompass Brexit negotiations and post-Brexit Britain.
Labour themselves have been lacklustre and have largely resorted to vague statements over Brexit.
However, with the government agreeing to not pursue a customs union but trying to cherry pick that parts they want, Labour’s position puts them at odds with the Conservatives. The Labour MPs who have decided to speak out against the plans are simply using it to try and undermine Corbyn, because the plan is pragmatic, backed by business leaders and protects workers’ rights, jobs and lives.
