London: In a major policy shift, Britain's main opposition Labour party now backs staying in the European single market for a transitional period as the country leaves the EU.
"Labour would seek a transitional deal that maintains the same basic terms that we currently enjoy with the EU," Keir Starmer, the party's Brexit spokesman, wrote in The Observer newspaper today.
"That means we would seek to remain in a customs union with the EU and within the single market during this period.
It means we would abide by the common rules of both," he said, meaning unimpeded immigration from the EU could continue.
The comments represent a major policy shift for Labour, which had previously been ambiguous on whether it would seek to retain single market and customs union membership, arguing only that it wanted a "jobs-first Brexit".
Labour are in a powerful position after making strong gains in June's general election, stripping Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives of their majority in parliament and forcing them to make a deal with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party
to govern. As Starmer unveiled Labour's new approach, a government source said the European Union should not "drag its feet" in negotiating Brexit.
"Both sides must be flexible and willing to compromise when it comes to solving areas where we disagree," the source said.
"As the EU itself has said, the clock is ticking so neither side should drag its feet," the source added, just days ahead of a fresh round of UK-EU divorce talks in Brussels.
In a statement, the government's Brexit ministry also called for the European Commission to be "more flexible", as British negotiators push for talks on future trade ties.
Japan to seek Brexit reassurances from Theresa May
London: Theresa May is under pressure to reassure Japanese companies over the likely impact of Britain's exit from the European Union on their UK investments when she visits Tokyo this week.
The prime minister will arrive on Wednesday on a three-day trip that is expected to include a meeting with Emperor Akihito and free-trade talks with her Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe. Under EU rules, official free-trade negotiations cannot begin until after Britain has left the trading bloc. But the prospect of informal discussions will boost claims by May and other pro-Brexit politicians that exiting the EU will leave Britain better placed to trade freely with major economies such as Japan and China.
Boris Johnson, promised Japanese officials that Britain was eager to reach an "all-singing, all-dancing" post-Brexit free-trade agreement with Tokyo.However, trade aside, analysts warned that Japanese firms could reduce their investments in Britain.