Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn announced the party would support staying in the EU customs union, in a speech delivered on Monday.
In a shift from the party’s election stance, Mr Corbyn said Labour would back remaining in both the single market and customs union, in the interest of negotiating a better trade deal for the UK.
This echoes similar sentiments forwarded by the shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, in a article for the Observer back in August.
Conversely, this contrasts the hardline stance adopted by Prime Minister Theresa May and her party, who have continually affirmed that Brexit will mean taking the UK out of the single market.
“Labour would seek a final deal that gives full access to European markets and maintains the benefits of the single market and the customs union… with no new impediments to trade and no reduction in rights, standards and protections,” Corbyn said.
“We have long argued that a customs union is a viable option for the final deal. So Labour would seek to negotiate a new comprehensive UK-EU customs union to ensure that there are no tariffs with Europe and to help avoid any need for a hard border in Northern Ireland.”
He continued: “Labour respects the result of the referendum and Britain is leaving the EU. But we will not support any Tory deal that would do lasting damage to jobs, rights and living standards.”
“I have long opposed the embedding of free market orthodoxy and the democratic deficit in the European Union, and that is why I campaigned to ‘remain and reform’ in the referendum campaign.”
“Scepticism is healthy especially when dealing with politicians or the received wisdom of the political and media establishment, but often the term “Eurosceptic” in reality became synonymous with “anti-European”.
“And I am not anti-European at all, I want to see close and progressive cooperation with the whole of Europe after Brexit.”
Mr Corbyn is set to face Prime Minister Theresa May in the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.