Labour will demand a General election.

Jeremy Corbyn set out Labour’s “good Brexit plan” on Monday, saying that leaving the European Union must be the catalyst for a “radical programme of investment and real change” as the party steps up efforts to show it has an alternative to Theresa May’s approach.

Speaking to business leaders at the CBI’s annual conference in London, Corbyn said May’s deal, published last week, would “leave the country in an indefinite halfway house without a real say over our future”.

Labour’s, “a good Brexit plan for this country is not just about what can be negotiated with Brussels. It must also include a radical programme of investment and real change across our regions and nations.

 

 

“BREXIT SHOULD BE THE CATALYST TO INVEST IN OUR REGIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE, BRINGING GOOD JOBS AND REAL CONTROL TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND PEOPLE.”

 

His words are likely to infuriate those Labour MPs who believe the party’s stance should be to seek to block Brexit by pressing for a referendum on May’s deal – with the option of remaining in the EU on the ballot paper. The Remain MPs who are willing to sacrifice social change to keep the status Quo along with a continued Tory Government left in place.

Corbyn played down that suggestion on Sunday, telling Sky News’ Sophy Ridge: “It’s an option for the future, but it’s not an option for today. If there was a referendum tomorrow, what’s it going to be on, what’s the question going to be?”

On the referendum of 2016 Jeremy spoke like a true democrat:

“There was a referendum in 2016, a majority voted to leave the EU, there are many reasons why people voted. I don’t think you call a referendum and then say you don’t like the result and go away from it. You’ve got to understand why people voted and negotiate the best deal you can.” -Jeremy Corbyn

 

The fact is Labour Party Policy is to fight for a General Election not a referendum,. A referendum that will only result in more division along with a breakdown of trust within society.

Labours vision outside the EU is one of regeneration and investment.

In his speech to the CBI, Corbyn set out the key elements of what he will call Labour’s “sensible” approach.

Instead of the temporary customs arrangement May has signed up to as a backstop, to prevent a hard border in Ireland, Corbyn will underline Labour’s backing for a permanent customs union. With opt-outs from EU rules including State aid and the competition rules that will inhibit Nationalisation of utilities and rail.

Labours regeneration plans have the ability to transform our society to build in Britain.

 

“Build it in Britain again” – extract Corbyn’s speech

“Our strategy will help us upgrade industry to secure good jobs, win public contracts and compete on the international stage.

It will help us build a clean, green 21st century economy, right here in the UK, building solar, wind farms and tidal lagoons to help us tackle climate change.

It will focus on creating clusters to boost domestic supply chains to develop the virtuous cycle, where the success of one industry or company helps others.

We’ll give support to the sectors that we need to deliver the public contracts, to radically upgrade our creaking infrastructure, a core part of our industrial strategy.

But our investment plans aren’t just for infrastructure and industry, they are for our people too, equipping them with the skills we need to thrive. It is why we are committed to a National Education Service which will provide both academic and vocational education on an equal footing to anybody that wants it, from cradle to grave.

We cannot continue to see education as a commodity to be bought and sold, it must be there to give people the skills they need to flourish throughout their lives.

This is all part of Labour’s plan to reprogramme our economy, so that it works for every town, city and village in the country.

It must be said however that wanting to build it in Britain is not turning away from the world, nor some return to protectionism or Trump-style trade wars.

It is about changing course so that people feel real control over their local economy and have good jobs that produce a consistent rise in pay and living standards, in every part of the UK.

That’s why we are so determined to help companies in the UK that export their goods.

And unlike the Conservatives, we know that after Brexit the single biggest assistance we can give our exporters is securing full, tariff free access to our biggest export market, the European Union.

It’s so important that we seek to negotiate a new, comprehensive UK-EU customs union, with a British say in all future trade deal and arrangements.”

Read more Build it in Britain. Here:

Workers Rights.

Corbyn stressed the need for workers’ rights and environmental standards to be protected to prevent a “race to the bottom”.

Hi call for “a strong single market relationship that allows British business continued access to European markets for both goods and services – while also ensuring we have the powers to support our public services and industry and transform the economy in all our regions and nations.”

Labour believes it needs to have something to offer its supporters in heavily leave-voting seats, regarding their backing for Brexit not just as a rejection of unfettered immigration but as a demand for economic change.

Responding to a speech by the Labour party leader, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI Director-General, said:

“Firms have made an offer to Labour – to work with business in a new partnership to solve the issues facing the UK and build a truly competitive and fair country.

“From rigid employment rules to blunt public ownership, the Labour approach sounds more command and control, than partnership. This is not the change that is needed.

“Labour and business do share an ambition to tackle inequality, but the way to achieve this is through collaboration based on the belief that enterprise is a force for good.”

Translation: The CBI are quite happy the way things are…

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