Jeremy Corbyn has told Michel Barnier he is ready to keep Britain in the customs union if he becomes Prime Minister, a leaked memo claims.
The Labour leader is said to have privately signalled his willingness to make a series of deep concessions if he takes charge of negotiations.
The commitments – which fly in the face of the party’s official policy – emerged in records of a meeting with EU chief negotiator Mr Barnier that took place earlier this week.
They would mean the UK being tied to EU law after Brexit and unable to strike trade deals elsewhere in the world.
Michel Barnier (second from left) held talks with Keir Starmer (left), Jeremy Corbyn and Emily Thornberry (right) when he was in London on Monday
The alleged suggestion by Mr Corbyn (pictured with schoolchildren at the Emirates Stadium yesterday) that the UK could stay in the EU customs union goes against Labour policy
EU chief negotiator Barnier visited London on Monday for talks at Downing Street (pictured)
But Labour denied that Mr Corbyn said he would maintain existing customs arrangements, insisting he merely floated the idea of a new form of customs union.
The Government has ruled out remaining in any form of customs union, instead pursuing a customs partnership or arrangement in an attempt to maintain frictionless trade.
The Telegraph reported details of an EU memo of a meeting between Mr Corbyn and Mr Barnier earlier this week, drawn up after a debrief between the chief negotiator and ambassadors from the other 27 member states.
According to the note, the Labour leader said he was open to remaining in the customs union.
Mr Corbyn also apparently made clear he was willing to discuss the European Court of Justice maintaining its influence on the UK
The party’s policy has been to remain open to a form of customs union, but to leave the existing EU version, which allows tariff-free trade in goods across member states’ borders.
But a spokesman for the Labour leader said: ‘Jeremy did not say he was open to staying in the customs union. He said that a customs union was a viable end point.
‘We have been clear all the way through that you can’t be in the customs union if you are not in the EU.’
The leak will be seized on by the Tories, who have said Mr Corbyn would cave in to demands from Brussels and undermine the Brexit process.
Theresa May (pictured at a summit with Japanese investors at No10 yesterday) has insisted Britain will be leaving the customs union
Mr Corbyn presented Mr Barnier with an Arsenal shirt when they met in Brussels last summer
The Labour leader, pictured speaking at the Emirates Stadium yesterday, is said to have privately told Michel Barnier he is willing to deep concessions if he takes charge of Brexit talks