'Disingenuous claptrap' - John McDonnell sparks Labour backlash with single market comments

3 min read21 January 2018

A former Labour frontbencher has accused John McDonnell of talking "claptrap" after he suggested the UK could continue to enjoy the same benefits of European single market membership even if it quits the free trade agreement.

Ian Murray, who was Shadow Scottish Secretary, hit out after the Shadow Chancellor defended the party's decision to reject permanent membership of the single market after Brexit.

Other pro-EU Labour MPs also made clear their opposition to the party leadership's stance, as the party's splits on Brexit once again burst into the open.

Appearing on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Mr McDonnell said: "We would like the benefits of the single market. That's subject to negotiation ... It would not be the same single market, but access to a single market."

"It would not be the same single market, but would be access to a single market" - @johnmcdonnellMP on Labour's Brexit position on the single market #marr pic.twitter.com/ps9vAou3Ju
— The Andrew Marr Show (@MarrShow) 21 January 2018

But Edinburgh South MP Mr Murray posted on Twitter: "What utter disingenuous claptrap. The EU has made it clear that you can’t be in a single market with “all the same benefits” without participating in “the” single market. If you want all the same benefits you have to be in it."

What utter disingenuous claptrap. The EU has made it clear that you can’t be in a single market with “all the same benefits” without participating in “the” single market. If you want all the same benefits you have to be in it. https://t.co/RxRVeXPyDn
— Ian Murray (@IanMurrayMP) 21 January 2018

Hove and Portslade MP Peter Kyle suggested Mr McDonnell was on another planet.

I’m not sure Labour’s Single Market policy is actually a policy at all, just wishful thinking.

We‘ll leave ‘the’ Single Market & join ‘a’ Single Market with the same benefits, meaning all EU countries must come to ‘our’ Single Market.

Those of us on planet earth will fight on https://t.co/0GoupJl1xn
— Peter Kyle MP (@peterkyle) 21 January 2018

Former Shadow Cabinet member Chuka Umunna also made clear his opposition to Labour's official stance.

If you want 'access' to the Single Market, you'll have to comply with many of its rules. You won't get the 'benefits' of the Single Market unless you are a member of it as @EmmanuelMacron & others have made clear. The @The_TUC have got this right - stay in the Single Market https://t.co/TcUWmuIAn3
— Chuka Umunna (@ChukaUmunna) 21 January 2018

A Labour source said: "Across the movement there is deep unhappiness at the party's position."

Nearly 50 Labour MPs defied Mr Corbyn last week to back an amendment to the Government's EU Withdrawal Bill calling for the UK to remain in the single market.

former Shadow Chancellor Chris Leslie said: "There’s a growing number of Labour colleagues who feel so strongly about the threat of Brexit austerity that they will - with regret - break the whip to defend the interests of their constituents. When it comes to the single market I hope our frontbench will get off the fence before long."

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