*Ford cars wait for deployment after arrival by ship at the Ford Dagenham diesel engine plant in London, Friday, July 21, 2017. Fordâs Dagenham diesel engine plant is a marvel of mechanization _ a steel and chrome hangar full of LED lighting, robots and computer-controlled machine tools. The U.S. carmaker has invested $2.5 billion in the plant, where 3,150 people churn out an engine every 30 seconds. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
The Associated Press
LONDON (AP) - Britain's main opposition party has announced that it backs the U.K. staying in the European Union single market and customs union during a "transition period" after Brexit.
The Labour Party says the ruling Conservative Party's Brexit position - taking Britain out of the EU single market immediately after March 2019, when Britain is to leave the bloc - would be "unnecessary" and "highly risky."
Labour Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said Sunday that his party wants Britain to continue to abide by the terms of its current EU membership during an unspecified transition period, before a final shift to a new Britain-EU relationship.
Starmer added that Labour would leave open the option of Britain remaining a member of the EU customs union and single market for good.
FILE - An April 25, 2017 photo from files of Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer, speaking in London. Britain's main opposition party has announced that it backs the U.K. staying in the European Union single market and customs union during a "transition period" after Brexit. Labour Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said Sunday that his party wants Britain to continue to abide by the terms of its current EU membership during an unspecified transition period, before a final shift to a new Britain-EU relationship. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP)
The Associated Press