With Parliament gridlocked,The Tory party rounding on the Prime Minister and the prospect of crashing out of the European Union without a deal, a proposal by Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell could break the impasse.
Parliament is expected to take control of the Brexit process this week and one proposal centres on what is being dubbed Common Market 2.0 which advocates a Norway-style plan which would see the UK would join the European Free Trade Area (EFTA) and, in that way. regain membership of the EU single market.
The plan would solve the problem surrounding the Irish border but would prevent the UK signing its own trade deals.
Writing in the Observer Powell says
“The road has very nearly run out for the prime minister’s Brexit deal. She complains that MPs haven’t said what we are for, only what we are against. The only roadblock in the way of parliament finally expressing what it wants is the PM and her increasingly Trumpian tactics”
adding that the plan will
“ensure we leave the EU and all its political institutions, such as the common agricultural policy, common fisheries policy and the jurisdiction of the European court of justice. We would assert our current rights as members of the European Economic Area via Efta to stay in the single market so that we keep frictionless trade and come to a customs arrangement. It can also happen quickly – we could be in Efta by the summer.”
Opponents have said this would leave the UK too closely aligned with the EU’s rules such as making financial contributions and an element of freedom of movement but there are signs that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn could be coming found to the idea.
