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'Unforgivable': Labour MPs Grill Corbyn for 'Bailing Out' May on Brexit

Pro-Remain Labour MPs warn that Jeremy Corbyn's proposed amendment would scupper a bid initiated in the House of Lords to keep Britain in the European Economic Area.
Sputnik

Prime Minister Theresa May has received unexpected support from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as she is facing a rebellion from her own side on the issue of the European single market after Brexit.

Corbyn has rejected calls for Britain to have a Norway-style relationship with the EU after Britain exits the 28-nation bloc, thus opening up the prospect of the country staying inside the European Economic Area (EEA), the London-based national talk and phone-in radio station LBC reported.

Labour MP Chris Leslie has lashed out against Corbyn idea which he sees as an attempt to lend a helping hand to the Prime Minister who he says would be breathing a huge sigh of relief over the Labour move.

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"This bill has been going between the Commons and the Lords. The House of Lords all came together and passed something which said let's participate in the European Economic Area Single Market. That's not staying in the EU, which is very clearly salvaging the best bits we can possibly get. It's a model that the EU recognizes,” Leslie told LBC.

He added that rather than grasping that “golden opportunity” to change the government's objective and keep those aspects of the Single Market, the Labour front bench is suggesting it will abstain from it.

"This effectively will be supporting the Prime Minister, who'll breathe a great big sigh of relief. This is bailing out Theresa May when she's facing a rebellion from her own side on the Single Market. I don't believe that's what Labour should be in the business of doing,” Chris Leslie emphasized.

"I think that's unforgivable," he added.

On Tuesday, Jeremy Corbyn came up with an alternative plan allowing Britain full access to the EU’s “internal market” instead of an amendment earlier proposed by the House of Lords upper house of parliament which recommends Britain’s continued membership of the European Economic Area.

READ MORE: Party Split: Corbyn Skeptic About EU, While Other Labour MPs Support It — Prof.

Many in the Labour Party believe that the UK’s membership of the European Economic Area is the only way to respects the Brexit referendum, which ensures unimpeded EU-wide free trade  while, at the same time, not requiring membership in the bloc’s common agriculture and fishing policies, monetary union or adherence to the European Court of Justice.

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