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While the idea of a vote on continued single market membership post-Brexit might have been quashed at the conference, the party’s soft-Brexit-backing MPs are not giving up. I was at a fringe event dedicated to debating single market membership, where two of the strongest voices on the issue, Alison McGovern and Chuka Umunna, explained why they disagreed with the official Labour managed ambiguity over the issue.

McGovern said do she feared a hard Brexit would be disastrous for manufacturing in her Wirral South constituency. She said:



If you’re one of my constituents who produces wings of planes for Airbus you will see the obvious nightmare of a bureaucratic barrier that could stop your part of the high-tech, high value aircraft being able to join its fellow components in Toulouse to make the aircraft that Airbus produce right across the European Union.

McGovern said such a Brexit could finish off the process of destroying industry begun by Margaret Thatcher.

For me this is absolutely personal - it is about the fortunes of our constituents, And people should remember that. I’ve seen this before. When I was growing up I watched the shipbuilding industry collapse in Birkenhead when Campbell Laird was closed. I do not want the situation for my community, the people I love, to be that Brexit finishes what Thatcher started.

Umunna said it seemed strange to debate domestic issues sat the conference when Brexit – which would affect these so much – was sidelined. He said: