The Labour Party opposes leaving the EU with no Free Trade agreement and believes that the transistion period needs to be extended to allow the UK any chance of achieving such an agreement. Any agreement must enable the United Kingdom to work in close partnership with our EU neighbours, retain as much access as possible to the European market, the research programmes especially its public health research programmes, student exchange schemes, and to keep Britain aligned with European standards on workplace rights, consumer protection, data protection and privacy and the environment.
Furthermore, the rights of EU citizens resident in the UK are to be honoured, together with the rights of UK citizens resident in the EU. Labour will oppose any immigration laws that discriminate between EU citizen residents and UK citizens.
Labour recognises that the withdrawal agreement commits the UK to maintain no border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Labour opposes any reneging on this agreement.
Labour recognises that even should a satisfactory agreement be signed that the impact on the UK may be so adverse that the Agreement will need to be reviewed and that even that re-joining the EU may be in the best interests of the UK; in such circumstances Labour will support re-joining the EU.
The International Policy Commission develops Labour’s international policy. It is responsible for foreign policy, international development, defence and Britain’s future relationship with Europe.
