Labour's farming spokesman has given the clearest possible indication that his party would be ready to opt for a customs union with the European Union.
Whilst the Conservative Government has insisted that the UK will leave both the single market and the customs union when the country withdraws from the European Union, the Labour Party's position has so far been unclear.
But in a speech at the annual conference of the National Farmers Union (NFU) in Birmingham, Shadow Farming Minister David Drew indicated that the party was now moving towards favouring a customs union agreement with EU countries.
He told delegates that the country must avoid a hard Brexit when it leaves the EU. The UK's membership is due to end in March 2019, although the Government is seeking to agree a transitional agreement that would ease the country's departure.
David Drew was asked to elaborate on his party's position on a customs union during a press conference following his speech.
He said: "We would be looking for the EU to say to us is that something that they would accept in terms of the UK's position.
"It's the Government that's ruled it out. We need to know if the EU categorically would be minded to agree to us having an arrangement as part of a customs union, then I think that's the direction Labour is moving in at the moment."
'Time is running out'
NFU leader Meurig Raymond showed his frustration at the progress of Brexit negotiations so far when he addressed conference delegates.
The NFU president appealed for clarity over the Government's intentions for the United Kingdom's future relationship with the European Union.
"This is serious," he said. "For too long ministers have claimed to have a plan. So we ask again, let's hear that plan. We have 400 days until we leave the EU. We have a lot less time than that to get a trade deal.
"Time is running out," he said. "We must have frictionless trade with the EU. Everything else, including the final shape of any domestic agricultural policy, is dependent on that," he said.
'Shape the future'
Environment Secretary Michael Gove, who was a key member of the Leave campaign during the 2016 EU referendum, told conference that he believed Brexit would provide great opportunities for farmers.
"I believe that outside the EU there are exciting opportunities for us the shape the future in a way which reflects our priorities," he said.
"We can design the best policies best fitted for our food producers and consumers, and best equipped to ensure our food economy remains sustainable in the long term."
He said that food and drink exports had enjoyed massive increases over recent months.
"That growth has been enabled by Britain's decision to leave the European Union and the new opportunities it has given our exporters," said the Defra Secretary.
'Frictionless trade'
However, Meurig Raymond said that Britain's farms needed access to the EU market. "The Prime Minister has said she is looking at a customs agreement rather than a customs union," he said.
"Even if that is achievable, how will it deliver frictionless trade? Will such an agreement eliminate non-tariff barriers, for instance border checks?
"The Freight Transport Association has said a two minute delay of every lorry going through Dover will result in a 17-mile tail-back.
"How long does a border inspection take? The answer is a lot longer than two minutes. And that's just this side of the Channel.
"Think of the tail-backs, think of the cost, think of the potential food waste as the queues create chaos, clog the roads and constrict our ports," he said.
'Softest Brexit'
David Drew said the Labour Party wanted to ensure that the UK obtained the "softest Brexit we can possibly get, which is why we are talking about the customs union or a customs union."
He said: "We are the opposition. We have put down lots of amendments. The Government have chosen to ignore most of those amendments, which is sad, but we will have another go in the Lords, looking at both the Brexit bill and the trade bill to get the softest Brexit we can, and then we will rebuild relationships with the EU in the best way possible and who knows what the future will hold."
Under questioning by journalists, he said: "It does take two to tango. The reality is it's no good us saying we want some arrangement with a customs union and then the EU saying you're not having one.
"We have got to get to a stage where we are talking from the same, dare I say, piece of paper. I don't know what our particular position is from the Government.
"It's said what it doesn't want but it hasn't said what it does want. The EU, therefore, I think are genuinely confused about what the UK's position is."
'No deal or deal'
On Labour's position, he said: "Clearly the one thing that we will avoid is no deal or a deal that is just so hard Brexit that we are forced then into WTO rules, which we all know is the lowest common denominator way of running not just this industry but all industries.
"That would just be catastrophic. It would have immense ramifications adversely for all industries.
"We would be looking for the EU to say to us is that something that they would accept in terms of the UK's position.
"It's the Government that's ruled it out. We need to know if the EU categorically would be minded to agree to us having an arrangement as part of a customs union, then I think that's the direction Labour is moving in at the moment."
'Strong interest'
Michael Gove said the Government wanted tariff free and "as frictionless trade as possible with the EU."
He said it was in the EU's interests to agree to this because the EU sold more food and drink to the EU than the UK sold to the EU.
"It is in their interest. They have a strong interest for a good deal to be concluded."
Farmers' leaders have expressed concern that British quality and welfare standards could be abandoned in negotiations to secure trade deals with the United States and other countries once outside the European Union, but the Secretary of State said he did not want "a race to the bottom" in terms of standards.
"We believe British food and British farmers succeed by having high standards. We are not going to try to undercut our EU neighbours by de-regulating."
He said: "We will not be signing trade deals that mean we are undercut on animal welfare or environmental standards."
David Drew said that the Labour Party would oppose any attempt to reduce welfare and environmental standards in order to secure trade deals.
He also said that his party was committed to the restoration of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers' Scheme - a commitment that was welcomed by NFU leaders. The scheme is seen as a way of addressing the shortage of migrant labour that has arisen since the UK voted to leave the EU.
