In a break with what has been effectively a bipartisan approach on Brexit, the UK Labour Party is expected to make a major announcement on policy, according to Sunday's The Observer newspaper.

It is expected that Labour will suggest the UK should remain as part of the single market and customs union, which would enable trade between the EU and UK to continue with the minimum of disruption beyond Brexit day on 29 March 2019.

It is even suggesting that the arrangement could become permanent, if it persuaded the EU to grant the UK a deal on immigration and changes to the freedom of movement rules.

Labour’s clearly defined policy means the British parliament will have two clear alternatives when it debates the Brexit legislation this autumn. The close arithmetic in parliament, where the Conservative government depends on the 10 Northern Ireland MPs for a majority, will be tested in upcoming votes.

It would take just a handful of pro-EU Conservative MPs to vote with the opposition to frustrate the path of the legislation.

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The announcement will be made by shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer, and is understood to have the backing of the party’s leadership, which to this point has been extremely ambivalent on the UK’s membership of the EU.

Labour officially supported the remain position but party leader Jeremy Corbyn is a known sceptic of the EU, believing that it supports big business and is at variance with his socialist views.

With the rejuvenated Labour Party now having 262 members compared with the 316 Conservative members in the 650-seat parliament, alternatives on Brexit are very much in place.

A hard Brexit with the UK leaving the single market and customs union is no longer a done deal

The 316 Conservatives plus the 10 DUP members give an overall majority, but it would take very few Conservative pro-Europe rebels to defeat the government.

This decision means that a hard Brexit with the UK leaving the single market and customs union is no longer a done deal (provided the EU is amenable in negotiations to a continuation).

Whether or not this suggestion goes beyond party policy to become national policy depends on the success of the Labour Party in securing support among the other opposition MPs and pro-Europe Conservatives.

Irish farmers will be hoping for this policy to take hold as it is the closest option to preserving the status quo of continued trade without disruption.

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