Brighton, England — Britain could stay in a customs union with the EU after leaving the bloc if Labour won power, the party said on Monday, putting pressure on Prime Minister Theresa May’s divided government over Brexit. Labour’s Brexit spokesman, Keir Starmer, said the party was ready to be "the grown-ups in the room" and take charge of negotiations to leave the EU, cautioning against taking anything off the table when considering Britain’s future ties with the EU. After months of sticking to a position little different from the Conservative Party’s pursuit of a clean break with the EU, Labour changed tack in August by suggesting that, if in power, it would press for remaining in the EU’s single market for a transition period to smooth Britain’s departure in March 2019. Starmer’s words took that position further. "If we were in government … we would negotiate a final deal … that retained the benefits of the customs union and the single market," Starmer said. "Subject, of course to ...

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