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Jeremy Corbyn met Mr Barnier in London on Monday in a bid to show that he was in charge of the situation and ready to lead. But Mr Barnier made it clear today the Labour leader has no negotiating power telling a press conference: “I’m not negotiating with Jeremy Corbyn. “The only people we are negotiating with is Theresa May and David Davis and the British Government. I made this clear to Jeremy Corbyn at the beginning and said that to him every time I met him. “My door is open. It’s open to everybody. I even met with Nigel Farage which was stimulating discussion.

“Mr Corbyn is an important figure in British political debate and he asked to meet me and I had no reason not to meet him.” The broadside will prove to be embarrassing for the Labour leader, who reportedly told Mr Barnier he was open to remaining in the existing customs union after Britain’s withdrawal from the bloc. Mr Corbyn apparently bragged he would run things very differently if he shot to Number 10 and added he was willing to let the UK be ruled under the European Court of Justice. The Telegraph reported the details of the meeting leaked out in an EU memo.

PA Michel Barnier has slapped down Jermy Corbyn’s attempt at leadership on Brexit

The memo was drawn up after a debrief between the chief negotiator and ambassadors from the other 27 member states. Mr Corbyn’s offer to stay in the customs union was also at odds with Labour’s official policy, which has been to leave. And his behaviour led EU officials to believe he was trying to upstage Theresa May and undermine her authority by touting himself as the next British leader. But the Labour Party quickly came out to deny the allegations. And the party was forced to deny Mr Corbyn was open to remaining in the existing customs union after Britain’s withdrawal from the bloc.

PA Mr Corbyn bragged to Mr Barnier that he would run things very differently if he shot to Number 10

A spokesman for the Labour leader said: “Jeremy did not say he was open to staying in the customs union. He said that a customs union was a viable end point. “We have been clear all the way through that you can’t be in the customs union if you are not in the EU.” The party’s policy has been to remain open to a form of customs union, but to leave the existing EU version, which allows tariff-free trade in goods across member states’ borders. The Government has ruled out remaining in any form of customs union, instead pursuing a customs partnership or arrangement in an attempt to maintain frictionless trade.

Good to have further discussions about the Brexit negotiations with chief EU negotiator, Michel Barnier, in London today. pic.twitter.com/LPatExeh0V — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) February 5, 2018