A group of Labour MPs and MEPs, academics and trade unionists have called on Jeremy Corbyn to stop hiding behind what they call leftwing myths surrounding membership of the European single market membership after Brexit and instead argue openly about the issue.

Corbyn and his shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, have argued that continued single market membership could hamper some of Labour’s planned policies, for example providing state aid to some industries and the re-nationalisation of rail services.

However, a report put together by soft Brexit advocates Open Britain and the Labour Campaign for the Single Market tackles what it describes as myths and lies propagated in the name of leftwing Brexit advocacy, or “Lexit”.

In a joint introduction to the collection of essays, Heidi Alexander and Alison McGovern, Labour MPs who co-chair the single market campaign and support Open Britain , said it was “time for us, as a party, to come off the fence” over its Brexit policy.

They added: “We believe there is no leftwing case for leaving the single market and the customs union.”

The report, titled Busting the Lexit Myths, includes a piece by another Labour MP, Catherine West, seeking to debunk the idea that a soft Brexit would mean a Labour government could not end austerity, saying critics have confused single market status with the greater economic restrictions that come with eurozone membership.



A separate piece argues that it is untrue to say close EU links would limit state aid, noting that even membership of the World Trade Organization brings rules against subsidies, while the EU does permit an activist industrial strategy by governments.

Another section tackles the idea that single market membership would prevent re-nationalisation, saying that several EU governments have big stakes in their countries’ rail, energy and water firms.

The paper also argues against the ideas that inside the single market the UK cannot exert any control over who comes to the UK and who can stay; that leaving the EU will provide more money for the NHS; that EU measures to protect environmental and workers’ rights are being eroded; and that Brexit will mean the UK can strike more progressive future trade deals.

Other contributors include Richard Corbett, the head of the Labour MEPs in the European parliament, and John Monks, the former TUC general secretary who is a Labour peer.

McGovern said Labour must “end any perception that our party is on the same side as the purveyors of falsehoods like Boris Johnson and Michael Gove”.

She said: “Labour must be the party that stands up for the real interests of working people on Europe and which is not afraid to call out the liars of Brexit and Lexit for what they are.

“Words about a ‘jobs-first Brexit’ are in danger of looking like nothing more than clever rhetoric unless Labour actually backs the policies that will put jobs first by keeping us in the single market and customs union.”

Alexander added: “The fact that we continue to hedge our bets, when the argument is there to be won, is not doing anyone any favours.”