Opposition parties have united against hard Brexit. Why aren’t Labour joining them?

The SNP, Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and Greens announced today they’d work together “in the national interest” to oppose Britain leaving the single market. 

Labour declined to take part in the cross party talks that came up with the agreement, however, Jeremy Corbyn saying last night that it was not possible for the UK stay in the single market after Brexit.

The joint statement from the leaders of the SNP, Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and Greens accused the Labour leadership of ignoring their own members, 87 per cent of whom said they wanted Britain to remain in the single market in a recent poll.

Failing to oppose Brexit would be an “abdication of responsibility”, the statement said, and would make Labour “just as culpable” as the Tories for the lasting damage a hard Brexit would do.

The SNP’s leader at Westminster, Ian Blackford, called the Labour leadership “pathetic” for not attending the talks, saying:

“Jeremy Corbyn has failed to show any leadership whatsoever, and is now rejecting this crucial chance to build a cross-party coalition in the national interest.”

The joint statement from Ian Blackford MP, Vince Cable MP, Caroline Lucas MP, and Liz Saville-Roberts MP in full:

“Tory plans for an extreme Brexit represent an unprecedented threat to our economy that would destroy hundreds of thousands of jobs, and damage the incomes, livelihoods, and living standards of millions of people across the UK.

“Time is running out to avoid this economic catastrophe. There are now just ten months before a deal is to be in place between the UK and EU. Ten months to put the brakes on plans to drag us out of the single market and customs union and to avoid the lasting harm this would cause.

“Analysis from the Bank of England, Fraser of Allander Institute, the London School of Economics and many others, have revealed the devastating extent of a hard Brexit or ‘no deal’ scenario for Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

“Leaving the single market will cost jobs. Over three million UK jobs are linked to trade with the EU – one in every ten jobs. There is no such thing as a “jobs-first” Brexit that includes terminating our single market membership – these outcomes are incompatible.

“Protecting jobs, incomes, workers’ rights and the environment is central to our efforts in keeping the UK in the single market. We warmly welcome the Trade Union Congress’ position which echoes these sentiments and hope to work with them in the months ahead.

“The UK government’s lack of preparation represents the chaos at the heart of the Brexit process. It is a disgrace more than 18 months after the UK voted to leave the EU, the government has not yet published an analysis of the economic impact.

“It is families, workers, businesses and farmers that will ultimately pay the price with a drastically restricted international market, lower wages, higher food and fuel prices and a poorer standard of living.

“With the clock ticking, it is now more important than ever that we have a united and effective opposition holding the UK government to account, and working together in the national interest to prevent the most damaging excesses of a hard Brexit or no deal scenario.

“We are jointly committed to providing that opposition, and call on Labour to join with us – to fail to do so would be an abdication of responsibility, and would make Labour just as culpable for the lasting damage a hard Brexit would do to UK jobs and prosperity.

“Today, we call on the Prime Minister to dismiss any chance of a ‘no deal’ scenario. The possibility must be firmly off the table.

“We will work together in the Commons alongside Members from all political parties to protect the UK economy and prevent any attempts to drag Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland out the single market.

“Moving forward together, we will seek to meet with key stakeholders, such as the TUC and business groups, and the devolved administrations including the London Assembly, to express Parliament’s cross-party desire to avoid the damage that Brexit will cause, and encourage all efforts to avoid such an outcome.”