Yahoo News General Election 2017: Labour leaves door open to keeping the UK in the EU
Labour suggests UK could stay in EU if Brexit deal not good enough
Labour to set out Brexit priorities to include retaining benefits of single market
Sir Keir: Labour will unilaterally guarantee rights of EU citizens
Theresa May to campaign in Wales as polls put Tories 10 points ahead
Ukip deputy leader: Paul Nuttall 'probably will stand'
Labour has left the door open to the UK staying in the European Union if a government under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn is unable to strike a Brexit deal it deems satisfactory.
Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, said a Labour government would give MPs a “meaningful vote” on the terms of the final deal struck with Brussels.
And he said that if the deal was not up to scratch and was rejected by Parliament, UK negotiators would have to go back to the negotiating table.
When asked whether that would mean the UK staying in the EU until a better deal is struck, Sir Keir said: “We have to get the best deal we can. We are talking about the tail end of 2018. We would have a vote, we would go back to the negotiating table.
“That is the position that we want to adopt on a meaningful vote.”
Sir Keir told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he hoped that a deal would be done that Parliament could back.
He said: “What we want to do is to have reporting back during the two years and a vote which means they can reject the deal and that means that the UK negotiators go back to the negotiating table.
“Now that is difficult, I hope because we will have built in the report back mechanism and taken parliament with us we wouldn’t reach that stage.”
The frontbencher is due to deliver a speech in London on Tuesday in which he will pledge to scrap the Tories’ Brexit White Paper which sets out the Government’s plans for divorce from Brussels and "replace it with fresh negotiating priorities that have a strong emphasis on retaining the benefits of the single market and the customs union".
But Sir Keir told the Today programme he accepted that "unchanged" access to the single market is "not a viable option".
He said: “We want businesses to trade as successfully in the future as they have done in the past.
“That’s not a wish list, that is an absolute imperative in these negotiations.
“We accept that unchanged single market membership is not a viable option but we would want to leave the options on the table to discuss with our European colleagues what the appetite for change and revision and reform of some of the single market rules.”
Sir Keir will also say in his speech that unlike Theresa May Labour would not walk away from the EU without securing a deal and it would unilaterally guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in the UK.
Elsewhere pro-Remain groups have outlined plans to target 20 seats held by Brexiteer MPs and 20 others where the incumbent has been an outspoken opponent of a “hard Brexit”.
Open Britain, European Movement, and Britain for Europe’s key seat strategy will tell their 600,000 volunteers where they can campaign against a “hard Brexit”.
Meanwhile, Mrs May will visit south Wales, deep in Labour's heartlands, as the Prime Minister looks to capitalise on strong poll numbers.
In an article for the Western Mail today, she tells Welsh voters - who backed Leave - that she alone can deliver the "strong and stable leadership" needed to "see us through Brexit and beyond".
An ITV Wales/YouGov poll yesterday put the Tories on 40 per cent in Wales to Labour's 30 per cent, which would give the Conservatives 21 seats in Wales to Labour's 15.
Labour has won the most seats in Wales at every election since 1922, and the Tories have not won overall in the principality since the early Victorian era.
Peter Mandelson: Labour’s position on Brexit unclear
Asked what Labour’s position is on Brexit, Lord Mandelson told Newsnight on Monday evening: “Search me. I think you need to wait for the manifesto.
“The problem for the Labour Party at this election on Brexit is very clear and that is that they are not, I’m afraid, differentiating their position and their policy sufficiently from the Government or haven’t done so up until now which they needed to do if they were going to offer the voters the clear choice.”
Tony Blair: 'I have not urged tactical voting'
Mr Blair said on Sunday that he felt so "passionate" about blocking a hard Brexit he was considering a return to front-line politics.
He also suggested that voters should consider backing candidates opposed to a “hard Brexit” prompting accusations that he was advocating tactical voting.
He has now clarified his position, writing in The Guardian: “First off - for the avoidance of doubt - I have not urged tactical voting.
“It is up to each voter to make up their mind on how they will vote. I only want people to make an informed choice.
“Of course, I hope people will vote Labour, as I will.”
Theresa May to give first major TV interview of General Election campaign on Sunday
This Sunday, in her first major TV interview of the campaign, the Prime Minister Theresa May joins us live on #marr. 9am BBC1 Sunday.
— Rob Burley (@RobBurl) April 25, 2017
Green Party: Labour position on Brexit 'simply isn't strong enough'
Caroline Lucas, the party's co-leader, said: "Though Labour’s position on the EU has improved since their Article 50 capitulation it still simply isn’t strong enough. It's a different tone, but looks like the same Brexit.
“Labour’s hollow words on access to the single market simply doesn’t stack up.
"Either they want Britain to remain a member of the single market or they don’t."
Liberal Democrats: 'Labour's Brexit plan has more holes than a colander'
Tim Farron, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: "They are failing to protect the UK economy by dragging the UK out of the Single Market. They are failing the people by refusing to give them a say on the final deal.
“And if Labour were serious about protecting the rights of EU citizens, why didn’t they stand up for them when they had the chance in Parliament? Instead they chose to abstain.
“The Liberal Democrats are the only party offering a way to stay in the EU."
Ukip deputy leader: Paul Nuttall 'probably will stand' to be an MP
Mr Nuttall, the Ukip leader, has so far refused to commit to standing as a candidate at the General Election.
But his number two, Peter Whittle, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme suggested Mr Nuttall will stand.
He said: “We had a leader in Nigel Farage, an incredibly effective one, who was leader whilst we had an MP in Parliament, Douglas Carswell.
“I’m sure Paul probably will stand. I don’t know. I think he is still thinking about it, as indeed am I.”
He also rejected that Ukip is in a “hell of a mess”.
