Labour and SNP give boost to Norway-plus Brexit plan

[ahlam1399]

LONDON: Supporters of a “Norway-plus” plan for close UK engagement with the EU after Brexit have been boosted by support from both Labour and the Scottish National Party.The scheme — known as Common Market 2.0 — is one of four alternative plans selected for a series of indicative votes on Monday designed to establish what kind of Brexit has a chance of winning a majority among MPs.Conservative MPs have been given a free vote, but Cabinet ministers will be told to abstain. The Norway-plus proposal, put forward by Conservative Nick Boles, was defeated by 94 in the first round of indicative votes last week, when Labour MPs were “encouraged” to support it but the SNP abstained.It proposes UK membership of the European Free Trade Association (Efta) and European Economic Area (EEA), allowing continued participation in the single market and a “comprehensive customs arrangement” with the EU after Brexit.If all 35 SNP MPs fall in behind the plan, it could win a majority unless 7-8 or more Labour MPs rebel against their party’s whip.The other options selected for votes by Commons Speaker John Bercow were Tory grandee Kenneth Clarke’s plan for a customs union which was defeated by a handful of votes last week, Labour backbenchers Peter Kyle and Phil Wilson’s demand for a referendum on any Brexit deal passed by Parliament, and SNP MP Joanna Cherry’s call for Brexit to be cancelled if the UK appears to be on course to crash out of the EU without a deal.Meanwhile, it was confirmed that senior ministers will meet in Cabinet for five hours on Tuesday — the first three hours in a “political” session in the absence of civil servants — to discuss the way ahead, amid speculation about possible resignations, a general election or change of Tory leader.And reports from Brussels suggested that the EU is seeking more than 10 billion euros from the UK to cover liabilities for the rest of this year, even if Britain leaves without a deal on April 12.Irish broadcaster RTE quoted an unnamed “senior EU source” as saying Brussels hopes to “wrap up” agreement on the payment by the end of the week.Labour MPs will be told back the Common Market 2.0 scheme, the customs union plan and the motion demanding a second referendum.SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said his party would back the Boles motion, despite preferring the UK to remain in the EU.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/F5drZiGGu1k

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