Corbyn: No Brexit without access to the single market

The leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party has said his party will try to block the start of divorce talks with the European Union if the government does not guarantee access to the EU's single market, a newspaper reported.

Jeremy Corbyn told the Sunday Mirror he would also demand the continued protection of workers' rights, guarantees on safeguards for consumers and the environment and pledges that Britain would make up any shortfall in EU capital investment after Britain leaves the EU as Labour's "Brexit bottom line."

England's High Court dealt Prime Minister Theresa May a setback on Thursday when it ruled that the decision to begin formal talks about leaving the EU needed to be approved by parliament.

The government has said it will appeal the decision but should it have to hold the vote, the ruling Conservative Party may struggle to get the majority it needs because some of its own members have concerns about the terms of Brexit.

"We are not challenging the referendum. We are not calling for a second referendum," Corbyn told the Sunday Mirror. "We're calling for market access for British industry to Europe."

Corbyn's comments come the day British Prime Minister Theresa May told MPs to allow the government to carry out its Brexit plan or risk getting a worse deal in negotiations with the European Union.

Writing in The Telegraph, May said the government would stick to its Brexit timetable, which includes starting the formal process to leave the EU, early next year, despite the High Court ruling it couldn't do so without consulting parliament first.

May also warned MPs that public discussion of the government's Brexit strategy would lead to a worse outcome in negotiations, in her first major public statement since Thursday's court ruling.

"Now we need to turn our minds to how we get the best outcome for our country," May said.

"That means sticking to our plan and timetable, getting on with the work of developing our negotiating strategy and not putting all our cards on the table. That is not in our national interest and it won't help us get the best deal for Britain."