Liberal Democrats challenge Labour to back them in single market vote

‘This Bill is a chance to take a wrecking ball to the extreme Brexit agenda being pursued by this Government’

Lib Dem Brexit spokesman Tom Brake says Labour needs to make its mind up (Getty)

Liberal Democrats have challenged Labour to back them in a parliamentary vote to keep the UK in the European single market.

The challenge comes after shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer announced a new policy which will see Jeremy Corbyn’s party seek membership of the single market and customs union for a transition period lasting as long as four years from 2019.

Lib Dems are to force a vote on whether the UK should leave the European Economic Area (EEA) – and therefore the single market – when the Government’s key Brexit legislation returns to the Commons at the end of Westminster’s summer break in September.

A second amendment to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill will also force a vote on membership of the customs union.

The pro-European party’s Brexit spokesman Tom Brake said the amendments could take a wrecking ball to Government plans for a hard Brexit.

The current wording of the Bill would repeal the 1993 act which put the EEA agreement into UK law. But there is ongoing debate over whether the Government has the authority to leave the EEA without a separate parliamentary vote.

Mr Brake said: “This Bill is a chance to take a wrecking ball to the extreme Brexit agenda being pursued by this Government. Labour needs to make up its mind whether it is with the Conservatives, seeking to take us out of the single market and customs union, or with the Liberal Democrats who want to protect jobs by remaining inside.

“We will use every opportunity to defend Britain’s membership of the single market and customs union on which so many people’s jobs and living standards rely.”

He added: “There is a growing consensus that parliament must have the final say over whether to leave the European Economic Area.

“If ministers were expecting to ram through their extreme Brexit plans with no accountability, they might be in for a nasty surprise.”

Press Association