LONDON – Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will on Tuesday abandon his long-held commitment to open borders and signal that he is willing to allow Theresa May’s government to end the free movement of people once Brexit talks begin with the EU.
In a keynote speech that he is set to give in Cambridgeshire on Tuesday, Corbyn will outline the party’s approach to Brexit under his leadership, including long-awaited clarification on what Labour’s immigration policy is.
Corbyn is expected to say: “Labour is not wedded to freedom of movement for EU citizens as a point of principle.
“But nor can we afford to lose full access to the European markets on which so many British businesses and jobs depend. Changes to the way migration rules operate from the EU will be part of the negotiations.
“Labour supports fair rules and reasonably managed migration as part of the post-Brexit relationship with the EU.”
Corbyn's claims that Labour is "not wedded" to the free movement of people and that "changes" to migration rules will feature in UK-EU separation talks represent a notable shift from his previous support for the free movement of people. At the party's Liverpool conference in September, Corbyn reaffirmed his support for the principle, despite pressure from many of his own MPs to call for tighter immigration controls.
Labour is not wedded to freedom of movement for EU citizens as a point of principle
It is the clearest sign yet that Corbyn has listened to the concerns of many traditional Labour voters in the party's heartlands, who are generally Eurosceptic and against mass migration to the UK. The under-pressure Labour leader will pledge to tackle the perceived negative effects of mass immigration on wages by "closing down cheap labour loopholes, banning exclusive advertising of jobs and strengthening workplace protections".
His speech also indicates that Labour is not opposed to the prime minister terminating the UK's membership of the single market. Instead, the Opposition will push the government to negotiate "full access" - an ambiguous term but nevertheless a term that connotes a different sort of trade relationship. One senior Labour source told Business Insider: "Full membership of the single market would be seen as not respecting the result of the referendum."
Below is some excerpts from of Corbyn's speech, which he will deliver in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire on Tuesday afternoon.
Rebuilding the British economy
On the economy, Corbyn will say that: "People voted for Brexit to regain control over our economy, our democracy and people's lives.
"We will push to maintain full access to the European single market to protect living standards and jobs.
"But we will also press to repatriate powers from Brussels for the British government to develop a genuine industrial strategy essential for the economy of the future.
"Tory Governments have hidden behind EU state aid rules because they don't want to intervene. But EU rules can also be a block on the action that's needed to support our economy, decent jobs and living standards.
"Labour will use state aid powers in a drive to build a new economy, based on new technology and the green industries of the future."
Job market regulations
"A Labour Brexit would take back control over our jobs market which has been seriously damaged by years of reckless deregulation.
"Labour will ensure all workers have equal rights at work from day one - and require collective bargaining agreements in key sectors, so that workers cannot be undercut.
"That will bring an end to the unscrupulous use of agency labour and bogus self-employment to stop undercutting and to ensure every worker has a secure job with secure pay."
A Labour Brexit would take back control over our jobs market which has been seriously damaged by years of reckless deregulation.
Public spending and corporate responsibility
"Labour will use the huge spending leverage of taxpayer-funded services massively to expand the number of proper apprenticeships.
"All firms with a government or council contract over £250,000 will be required to pay tax in the UK and train young people. No company will receive taxpayer-funded contracts if it, or its parent company, is headquartered in a tax haven.
"And we will not buy outsourced public services from companies whose owners and executives are creaming off profits to stuff their pockets at the expense of the workforce and the public purse."
Immigration
"Labour is not wedded to freedom of movement for EU citizens as a point of principle.
"But nor can we afford to lose full access to the European markets on which so many British businesses and jobs depend. Changes to the way migration rules operate from the EU will be part of the negotiations.
"Labour supports fair rules and reasonably managed migration as part of the post-Brexit relationship with the EU.
"Unlike the Tories, Labour will not offer false promises on immigration targets or sow division by scapegoating migrants.
"But Labour will take action against undercutting of pay and conditions by closing down cheap labour loopholes, banning exclusive advertising of jobs abroad and strengthening workplace protections.
"That would have the effect of reducing numbers of EU migrant workers in the most deregulated sectors, regardless of the final Brexit deal."