It is heartening to see Jeremy Corbyn’s slow conversion from eurosceptic to pro-European. Yesterday the leader of the opposition told the BBC’s World at One that he’s open to staying in the single market permanently.
This marks a further, important shift in Labour’s European policy. It follows Keir Starmer’s success last month in persuading Corbyn to back membership of both the single market and customs union for a transitional period after we quit the EU. The shadow Brexit secretary added that we could also stay in a customs union with the EU permanently.
Yesterday Corbyn said: “There has to be a trade relationship with Europe. Whether that is formally within the single market or whether that is an agreement to trade within the single market I think is open for discussion and negotiation.” As a result of these interventions, Labour’s official policy is now that we may remain in both the single market and customs union permanently.
This shift in policy is half-good. Staying in the single market and customs union means we would not be cut off from our most important market, which is responsible for half our trade. We would avoid a potentially big hit to our economy. It would also mean there wouldn’t be any need to reimpose a hard border in Ireland, something that could undermine the peace process in Northern Ireland.
However, we would also have to follow the EU’s rules, pay into its budget and accept free movement of people. What’s more, we would have to try to copy any trade deals the EU did with the rest of the world without the freedom to cut our own agreements. And we would have to do all these things without being able to vote on the the EU’s policies.
At present, we do all these things but sit at the EU’s top table. What’s more, we are one of the most influential members of the club. Despite propaganda to the contrary, we win the vast majority votes in the EU’s Council: we have been on the winning side 98 percent of the time since 1999.
Why would we want to move from being a rule-maker to becoming a rule-taker? If it is a good idea to stay in the single market and customs union permanently, it is an even better idea to stay in the EU permanently.
Corbyn isn’t prepared to make this argument yet. He is concerned to respect the will of the people, as expressed in last year’s referendum. However, he has also shown himself susceptible to pressure. His half-conversion is presumably partly driven by the realisation that most Labour voters and especially the young, many of whom are enthusiastic Corbynistas, are pro-European.
If the will of the people starts to change in favour of staying in the EU – as there are tentative signs that it is beginning to – who knows, maybe Corbyn himself will become a full convert. Given his ability to influence public opinion when he puts his mind to it, that would be a game-changer.