EXCL Labour frontbencher quits after defying Jeremy Corbyn over customs union

Liz Bates

A Labour frontbencher has resigned after defying Jeremy Corbyn to back remaining in the customs union after Brexit, PoliticsHome can reveal.



Shadow pensions minister Alex Cunningham was one of 64 Labour MPs to back an amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill tabled by former Shadow Chancellor Chris Leslie despite being ordered to abstain by the party leadership.

Mr Leslie said leaving the customs union would cause "significant disruption" for businesses after Britain leave the EU.

But Labour bosses argued that his amendment was flawed, and that membership of some form of customs union should be left as part of the Brexit negotiations instead.

Mr Cunningham was the only member of Mr Corbyn's shadow ministerial team to break the whip and back Mr Leslie. Others who joined the rebellion included high-profile backbenchers Chuka Umunna, Chris Bryant and Stephen Kinnock.

Labour sources have confirmed to PoliticsHome that the Stockton North MP quit his frontbench role following the vote on 20 December. He has yet to be replaced and party sources denied suggestions that his departure could trigger a full-scale reshuffle.

His resignation is yet another sign of Labour's splits on Brexit. A party source said the issue of the customs union would be "a major potential divide in Labour ranks in the coming year".

Last February, 52 Labour MPs - including 14 frontbenchers - defied the leadership to vote against triggering Article 50 to kickstart the Brexit process. In an unconventional move, the shadow ministers who rebelled only received a warning about their future conduct rather than being sacked.

In June, Mr Corbyn sacked three of his frontbench team after 49 Labour MPs rebelled to vote in favour of the UK remaining in the single market after Brexit.

And in November, 19 pro-European MPs ignored an instruction to abstain from the vote on repealing the 1972 European Communities Act.

Labour's official position is to support continued membership of the single market during any post-Brexit transition period.

The party has also insisted that it wants to maintain tariff-free access to the single market, and to agree a customs union with the rest of the EU in the future.

However, pro-EU Labour MPs have insisted that the party should come out in favour of full membership of both trading arrangements.