Corbyn calls for new uk eu customs union after brexit

A timely topic!

On January 14, 2020, Jeremy Corbyn, the then-leader of the Labour Party in the UK, called for a new UK-EU customs union after Brexit. This proposal was part of Labour's Brexit policy, which aimed to reconcile the party's commitment to leaving the EU with its desire to maintain close economic ties with the bloc.

Corbyn's proposal suggested that the UK and EU establish a new customs union that would:

  1. Eliminate tariffs and quotas on goods traded between the UK and EU.
  2. Ensure that the UK and EU have a common external tariff, which would apply to goods imported from outside the union.
  3. Allow for the UK to negotiate its own trade agreements with countries outside the EU, while still being part of the EU's customs union.

The proposal was designed to address concerns about the impact of Brexit on trade, particularly in industries such as manufacturing and agriculture. Corbyn argued that a new customs union would help to:

  1. Protect jobs and industries that rely on trade with the EU.
  2. Ensure that the UK maintains access to the EU's single market and customs union.
  3. Allow the UK to negotiate its own trade agreements with other countries, while still being part of the EU's customs union.

However, the proposal was met with resistance from some within the Labour Party, as well as from the Conservative Party and other Brexit supporters. They argued that a customs union would:

  1. Limit the UK's ability to negotiate its own trade agreements with other countries.
  2. Bind the UK to EU regulations and policies, which could limit its ability to make its own decisions.
  3. Create a "vassal state" relationship between the UK and EU, where the UK would be subject to EU rules without having a say in their creation.

Ultimately, the proposal was not adopted as part of the UK's withdrawal agreement with the EU, and the UK left the EU on January 31, 2020, without a customs union in place. The UK and EU have since negotiated a trade agreement, which came into effect on January 1, 2021, and includes provisions for trade in goods and services, as well as cooperation on issues such as security and climate change.