Labour positions itself as party of soft Brexit

The UK Labour Party Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer published an article in The Observer on the 27 August 2017, which signified a shift in the Labour Party's Brexit strategy to one of advocating more clearly a so-called 'soft Brexit' - including remaining inside the EU’s customs union and single market during a transition lasting up to four years. Keir Starmer also kept open the door of permanent membership of both in some form.

• Primary Source

EurActiv, 29.08.17: UK opposition Labour backs soft Brexit, putting pressure on May http://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/uk-opposition-labour-backs-soft-brexit-putting-pressure-on-may/

Blog: Federal Trust, 01.09.17: BREXIT: Labour makes a move but is it in the right direction? http://fedtrust.co.uk/brexitlabour-makes-a-move-but-is-it-in-the-right-direction/

The Conversation, 31.08.17: Labour plants a firmer foothold in the shifting sands of Brexit Britain https://theconversation.com/labour-plants-a-firmer-foothold-in-the-shifting-sands-of-brexit-britain-83192

ESO: Background information: The Limits to Labour's Constructive Ambiguity over Brexit http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-limits-to-labours-constructive-ambiguity-over-brexit/

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

Politico, 28.08.17: How Labour’s soft Brexit shift could change government’s course http://www.politico.eu/article/uk-labour-soft-brexit-shift-could-change-governments-course/

The Guardian, 26.08.17: [Comment in Free - Opinion]: No ‘constructive ambiguity’. Labour will avoid Brexit cliff edge for UK economy https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/aug/26/keir-starmer-no-constructive-ambiguity-brexit-cliff-edge-labour-will-avoid-transitional-deal

The Guardian, 26.08.17: [Analysis]: As Labour becomes party of soft Brexit, hard battles lie ahead https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/aug/26/labour-soft-brexit-jeremy-corbyn-theresa-may

The Conversation, 27.09.17: Corbyn in Brighton: this is a seismic shift in two ways https://theconversation.com/corbyn-in-brighton-this-is-a-seismic-shift-in-two-ways-84800

Labour Party: Manifesto 2017: Negotiating Brexit https://labour.org.uk/manifesto/negotiating-brexit/

The Guardian, 24.09.17: Corbyn says he is wary of committing to stay in European single market https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/24/corbyn-european-single-market-brexit

The Guardian, 23.09.17: Labour should commit to staying in the single market and customs union https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/23/labour-should-commit-to-staying-in-the-single-market-and-customs-union

EurActiv, 26.09.17: Britain’s Labour shifts on Brexit, proposes staying in customs union http://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/britains-labour-shifts-on-brexit-proposes-staying-in-customs-union/

The Guardian, 25.09.17: [Opinion]: The road to reversing Brexit may have just begun at Labour’s conference fringe https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/25/reversing-brexit-labour-conference-fringe-coalition

BBC News, 25.09.17: Labour conference: Starmer claims 'grown-up' Brexit stance http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41378928

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