Calling for an end to the ‘chaos and confusion’ that has dogged talks thus far, remainers in the party hope the breakthrough now leads to a softer exit

If official Labour reaction to the initial Brexit deal was cautiously welcoming, behind the scenes several MPs were already wondering whether the flexibility inherent in certain clauses might be the cue to push the party definitively towards seeking a soft Brexit.

The formal Labour policy only guarantees continued membership of the EU’s single market and customs union during a transitional deal, a stance reiterated on Friday by the shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer.

While the last-gasp deal was encouraging, Starmer said, the priority now had to be securing a transitional period in which the UK stays within the two systems “for a time-limited period”.

Starmer urged Theresa May to seek a more constructive approach over the next phase of talks on a future UK-EU relationship. “We cannot have another year of chaos and confusion or the farcical scenes we saw earlier on in the week that put jobs and the economy at risk,” he said.

Quick guide Main points of agreement in the Brexit deal Show Hide EU citizens EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the rest of the EU have the right to stay. Rights of their children and those of partners in existing “durable relationships” are also guaranteed.



UK courts will preside over enforcing rights over EU citizens in Britain but can refer unclear cases to the European court of justice for eight years after withdrawal. Irish border The agreement promises to ensure there will be no hard border and to uphold the Belfast agreement.

It makes clear the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland, will be leaving the customs union.



It leaves unclear how an open border will be achieved but says in the absence of a later agreement, the UK will ensure “full alignment” with the rules of the customs union and single market that uphold the Good Friday agreement.



However, the concession secured by the DUP is that no new regulatory barriers will be allowed between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK without the permission of Stormont in the interest of upholding the Good Friday agreement. Money There is no figure on how much the UK is expected to pay but the document sets out how the bill will be calculated – expected to be between £35bn and £39bn.



The UK agrees to continue to pay into the EU budget as normal in 2019 and 2020.

It also agrees to pay its liabilities such as pension contributions. Other issues The two sides agreed there would be need for cooperation on nuclear regulation and police and security issues.

There was an agreement to ensure continued availability of products on the market before withdrawal and to minimise disruption for businesses and consumers.

But amid speculation that the elements of the deal that guarantee measures to maintain a soft border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland could point towards an equally soft eventual Brexit, some Labour MPs were calling for a change of tactic.

“Now is the moment for the Labour party to definitively say that we are for a soft Brexit and for staying in the customs union,” one MP said anonymously. “Theresa May has conceded the principle of regulatory alignment. Rather than spend months wasting time to say what we want, let’s just say it now.”

Chris Leslie, the strongly pro-remain Nottingham East MP, argued it was now “obvious to almost everyone, including the PM,” that the only possible final option was for the UK to stay in the single market and customs union.



“By promising ‘alignment’ with the proviso ‘should this not be possible the UK will propose specific solutions’, the PM is merely postponing the moment when she breaks this news to the hard Brexiteers,” he said.

He was backed by other pro-remain MPs. Alison McGovern and Stephen Doughty.

Meanwhile, a prominent Labour Brexiter, John Mann, broke ranks with leave-supporting MPs to argue for continued membership of the customs union with access to the single market.

Mann said his Nottinghamshire constituents voted leave because of immigration worries, and failure to secure a trade deal would not be meeting their demands. He suggested the UK look to copy countries such as Norway and Switzerland – both inside the single market.

Q&A What is a soft Brexit? Show Hide A soft Brexit, while not officially defined, would keep Britain in either the single market or the customs union or both. It could be achieved along the lines of the Norway model (see EEA/EFTA) or via an FTA, but would require concessions on free movement, ECJ jurisdiction and budget payments. Brexiters do not consider a soft Brexit as really leaving the EU. See our full Brexit phrasebook.

He argued there were some signs that changes to immigration rules might be allowed within such a system. “The deal agreed today was predictable and now the politicking from both sides over the Irish border is over, we need to get on with it,” he said.

“We’ve have yet to see the government deal with the main issue of immigration. A deal on immigration has to be made in order for Brexit to be success. Britain should remain in customs union or an equivalent if we are to achieve sovereignty and also protect British business.”

However, there was no hint of any policy change from Jeremy Corbyn, who spent the day in Geneva giving a long-scheduled speech to the United Nations on the perils of issues such as economic inequality and global warming.



Speaking to reporters after the address, Corbyn reiterated the need to keep the benefits of the customs union and single market during a transitional period, arguing this should be long enough to allow time to work out issues such as workers’ rights and environmental protections.