Jeremy Corbyn vowed to fight for a Brexit settlement that protects UK jobs, industry and services as he held talks with the EU’s chief investigator yesterday. The opposition leader spoke with Michel Barnier for more than two hours during a visit to Brussels. He hopes this will show he is a prime minister in waiting, ready to take over Brexit if there is a change of government.
Mr Corbyn told Mr Barnier Labour respected the results of last year’s referendum. But he said the party would not cut a “sweetheart deal” with the US which would undermine the Paris climate change agreement and harm living standards in the UK.
After the “very interesting” very frank meeting, Mr Corbyn presented Mr Barnier with an Arsenal shirt that had his surname printed on the back. Mr Barnier also met Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon and Welsh first minister Carwyn Jones, though stressed he would negotiate only with the UK government.
