UK-Wide Alliance Of 80+ Organisations Calls For Extended Scrutiny Of Critical Brexit Bill

For immediate release

UK-wide Alliance of 80+ organisations calls for extended scrutiny of critical Brexit Bill

The Brexit Civil Society Alliance call on the government to extend scrutiny of the critical Withdrawal Agreement Bill and are raising serious concerns about the government’s intention to pass the legislation in less than a week [1]. The Bill will implement the new Brexit deal in UK law and it carries significant constitutional, legal and political weight.

The Bill hands exceptionally wide powers to ministers, which they can use to make changes to citizens’ rights, environmental protections, workers’ rights, the Good Friday Agreement and a number of other areas [2]. Limiting scrutiny shows an utter disregard for how the use of these powers will have a direct impact on people’s lives [3].

Back in March, the Brexit Civil Society Alliance called on the government to ensure proper scrutiny of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill [4]. In their response, the government said they remained “committed to ensuring that Parliament has as much time as possible to scrutinise the legislation” [5]. Their intention to ram through a bill of such constitutional importance means they are clearly reneging on their promise.

Malene Bratlie, co-ordinator of the Brexit Civil Society Alliance said:

“This bill represents one of the most significant changes to this country in the last 50 years. It is an insult to parliamentarians and civil society to rush it through in this way.

How can anyone be expected to fully understand the immediate and long term effects of a 115-page document, filled with hugely important provisions that will impact the UK’s constitutional arrangements and its citizens, for generations, in just a few days?

The Brexit Civil Society Alliance have time and time again called for sufficient time to debate and scrutinise the Withdrawal Agreement Bill. Yet the government has shown a reckless disregard for parliamentary scrutiny and the rule of law. Far from being an obscure procedural point, this affects the daily lives of the communities our members work with. They deserve to have their voices heard.”

Marley Morris, Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), Associate Director (Immigration, Trade and EU Relations) said:
“The EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill offers minimal guarantees on workers’ rights – and nothing at all on environmental protections.

The Bill simply ensures that the government reports to MPs on whether future Bills will maintain or weaken EU workers’ rights. While Parliament will also have the option of considering whether to mirror future EU rules on workers’ rights, there are no guarantees that the UK will either maintain or keep pace with EU law.

This does not match the ‘non-regression clause’ included in Theresa May’s deal. Indeed, it does not even prevent the government from weakening EU-derived workers’ rights through ministerial powers – thereby avoiding proper parliamentary scrutiny.”

Kevin Hanratty, director of the Human Rights Consortium in Northern Ireland said:
“The Consortium has a range of concerns with the proposed implementation of this Brexit deal. In addition to deep concerns about the lack of time to properly scrutinize laws that are of profound constitutional significance, we are concerned that the entire protocol on Northern Ireland is to be given effect by secondary legislation. This again means a lack of proper scrutiny as these Henry VIII powers give Ministers wide discretion to change existing legislation.

Also, while the non-diminution of rights principles within the protocol are to be given effect, those provisions only restrict the actions of the NI Assembly and not Westminster or UK ministers more broadly. As regards the level playing field provisions we are disappointed that the UK government have not taken the opportunity to provide proper legal assurances on the protection of workers’ rights and environmental protections. It would have provided much more security that these protections would be continued on an equal basis into the future.”

The 3million said:
"There are many outstanding issues on EU citizens rights that have not been addressed properly.

The most important is to prevent innocent people from falling into the hostile environment and even potentially face deportation.

After leaving us EU citizens in limbo for over three years, the Government now intends to railroad through potentially life-changing legislation with just three hours of committee scrutiny.

We EU citizens deserve better. This legislation requires proper review.

We are therefore calling for MPs to vote down the Government's timetable to allow extra time to get this legislation right, and to deliver on the referendum promises to us EU citizens."


Notes to Editors
[1] The Brexit Civil Society Alliance is a UK wide alliance of 80+ charities, voluntary and campaigning organisations working together to ensure we have a voice in the Brexit process. The Alliance does not take a position on what direction Brexit should take but seeks to raise concerns on behalf of its members and work to ensure that the Brexit process delivers on our principles: open and accountable lawmaking; protection of rights, standards, funding and the devolution settlements and no governance gap after Brexit. For more information about the Alliance visit our website here: https://www.brexitcivilsocietyalliance.org/

[2] European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill Delegated Powers Memorandum:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/841012/EU__Withdrawal_Agreement__Bill_Delegated_Powers_Memorandum.pdf

[3]Comparative bills such as the EU Withdrawal Act 2018 had 36 days of parliamentary scrutiny. Even the 5 line bill to trigger Article 50 had 11 days of scrutiny in Parliament.

See more from the Constitution Unit here: https://twitter.com/ConUnit_UCL/status/1186303921091960832

[3]https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/charts/parliamentary-progress-legislation-introduced-implement-brexit

[4] Brexit Civil Society Alliance Open Letter To Rt Hon Stephen Barclay MP: The Withdrawal Agreement Bill And The Importance Of Proper Legislative Scrutiny

https://www.brexitcivilsocietyalliance.org/news-indexpage/2019/3/14/open-letter-to-rt-hon-stephen-barclay-mp-the-withdrawal-agreement-bill-and-the-importance-of-proper-legislative-scrutiny

[5] Government’s response to the Brexit Civil Society Alliance’s open letter regarding scrutiny of WAB https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b9265d0ee175944bdd8fc5d/t/5cd302837817f7cd043a86e4/1557332614264/DEXEU+response+re+Brexit+Civil+Society+Alliance+20190430.pdf