Open letter to the Prime Minister: 100 organisations join forces to express concerns about a no-deal Brexit

Following recent announcements on the prorogation of Parliament, 100 organisations from across the UK have called on the Prime Minister to urgently engage with their “grave concerns” about the impact that leaving the European Union without a deal will have on civil society, in an open letter.

Please find the letter and signatories in full below.

If your organisation would like to sign this letter, please submit the following to jacob.millen-bamford@brexitcivilsocietyalliance.org:

  • The name, in full, of the individual attributing their name to the letter

  • The job position/title of this individual

  • The name of the organisation/institution

Dear Prime Minister,

As civil society organisations working with citizens and communities across the UK, we are writing to express our grave concerns about the risk of leaving the EU without an agreement as the 31st October is rapidly approaching. 

 A growing body of evidence shows that a no-deal Brexit would be detrimental to civil society and the communities that we work with. The uncertainty, the predicted economic shock, the prospect of legal uncertainty as well as the regression in rights and standards present a profound risk to the values civil society stands for. 

Leaving the EU without a deal will see a return to a ‘hard’ border on the island of Ireland. This will have significant detrimental effects on trade, the economy, and on the ability of citizens to move easily between the two jurisdictions for work, study and family reasons.

A no-deal Brexit will be a direct threat to the peace process and the safeguards in the Good Friday Agreement. This would be at odds with the UK Government's stated commitment to guarantee these vital protections.  

Business, civil society and communities across the UK are not ready for a no-deal exit. 

There is not enough time to replace EU agencies that monitor and ensure compliance with the law, potentially resulting in food standards, environmental and animal welfare regulations not being sufficiently enforced. 

Legislation to accommodate a no-deal scenario will be rushed through Parliament with little to no scrutiny from MPs and civil society. Neither is there enough time to put in place the necessary common frameworks to guarantee that devolution is respected.

Civil society faces the same Brexit related impacts and uncertainties as business, and yet we have not had adequate support, resources and engagement from the government. We urge you to better engage with civil society, including across the devolved nations, throughout the next stages of the Brexit process. 

Leaving the EU without an agreement will have drastic and wide-ranging implications for citizens and communities, who deserve to be heard. 

Yours sincerely,

  1. Alexandra Runswick, Director, Unlock Democracy

  2. Ali Harris, Chief Executive, Equally Ours 

  3. Alison Page, Chief Executive, Salford CVS

  4. Anne Bonner, Chief Executive, Riverside Community Health Project

  5. Anne McVicker, Director, Women's Resource & Development Agency

  6. Ann Shrosbree, Director, Small World Theatre

  7. Bijon SINHA, Administrator, Compton’s Yard Charitable Trust

  8. Brian Carr, Chief Executive, Birmingham Voluntary Service Council

  9. Brian Gormally, Director, Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ)

  10. Carol Botten, CEO, Voluntary Organisations' Network North East

  11. Caroline Willcocks, Manager of WHISC, Women's Health Information and Support Centre (WHISC)

  12. Catrin Devonald, Prif Swyddog / Chief Executive, Menter Iaith Casnewydd

  13. Catriona Williams OBE, Chief Executive, Children in Wales

  14. Charles Dundas, Chair, Scottish Environment LINK

  15. Chris Dabbs, Chief Executive, Unlimited Potential

  16. Chris Quinn, Director, Northern Ireland Youth Forum

  17. Colin Tudge, Trustee, The Real Farming Trust

  18. Craig Bennett, CEO, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland

  19. Craig McGuicken, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Environment Link

  20. Darren John Knight, Chief Executive, Bolton Community and Voluntary Services (CVS)

  21. Dave Prentis, General Secretary, UNISON

  22. Dr Anthony Soares, Acting Director, Centre for Cross Border Studies

  23. Dr Cath Larkins, Director, The Centre for Children and Young People's Participation - University of Central Lancashire

  24. Dr David Holloway, Director, Community Dialogue

  25. Dr Gwenllian Lansdown Davies, Prif Weithredwr/Chief Executive, Mudiad Meithrin

  26. Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, Director, Women’s Budget Group

  27. Dr Michael Warhurst, Executive Director, CHEM Trust

  28. Dr Sally Witcher, Chief Executive, Inclusion Scotland

  29. Dr Sam Smith, CEO, C-Change Scotland

  30. Dyfrig Rees, General Secretary, Union of Welsh Independents

  31. Edward Connole, Director, ALL ARTS & MEDIA 

  32. Ele Hicks, Policy Manager, Diverse Cymru

  33. Elizabeth Maria Kardynal, Founder & Director, European's Welfare Association CIC (EWA CIC)

  34. Emma Ritch, Executive Director, Engender

  35. Fizza Qureshi, Co-CEO, Migrants' Rights Network

  36. Gary Christie, Head of Policy, Scottish Refugee Council

  37. Gaynor Richards MBE BA(Hons), Dip H&SW, Msc, LLD (hon), Director, Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service

  38. Helen Crickard, Co-ordinator, Reclaim the Agenda NI

  39. Jackie Brock, Chief Executive, Children in Scotland

  40. Jackie Murphy, CEO, TGP Cymru

  41. Jane O'Toole, Chief Executive Officer, Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs

  42. Janet Thorne, CEO, Reach Volunteering

  43. Janie Oliver, Executive Director, The Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility

  44. Janis McDonald, Chief Officer, deafscotland

  45. Jen Ang, Director, JustRight Scotland

  46. John Harris, Chair, International Group of the Church in Wales

  47. John Tizard, Strategic Advisor

  48. Judi Rhys, Chief Executive, Tenovus Cancer Care

  49. Karla Hill, Global Programmes Counsel, ClientEarth

  50. Kate Young, Director, All Wales Forum of Parents and Carers

  51. Kenneth R. Curran Snr, Chair, The Manor Assembly

  52. Kevin Doherty, Chief Executive Officer, Disability Action

  53. Kevin Hanratty, Director, Human Rights Consortium

  54. Kim Dams, Director, Scottish Rural Action

  55. Kush Chottera, Director of Europia, Europia

  56. Laura Bannister, Senior Adviser: EU-UK Trade, Trade Justice Movement

  57. Lindsay Cordery-Bruce, CEO, The Wallich

  58. Liz O’Neill, Director, GM Freeze

  59. Lucy Danger, Chief Executive, EMERGE 3Rs & EMERGE Recycling

  60. Lynne Stafford, Chief Executive, Gaddum

  61. Maria Constanza Mesa, Operational Director / Cyfarwyddwr Gweithredol, Women Connect First / Menywod Gysylltu’n Gyntaf 

  62. Martin Cavalo, Chair, Arts Connection - Cyswllt Celf

  63. Menai Owen-Jones LLB Dip IoD FRSA, Chief Executive Officer, The Pituitary Foundation

  64. Mhairi Snowden, Coordinator, Human Rights Consortium Scotland

  65. Michal Chantowski, Development and Services Manager, International Community Organisation of Sunderland (ICOS)

  66. Mike Wild, Chief Executive, Macc

  67. Ms Shahida Siddique, Chief Executive Officer, Faithstar LLP

  68. Owen Reidy, Assistant General Secretary, The Irish Congress of Trade Unions

  69. Paddy Kelly, Director, Children's Law Centre

  70. Peter Hussey, Clerk, the Wales Focus Group of Meeting of Friends in Wales, (Society of Friends (Quakers))

  71. Peter Kelly, Director, The Poverty Alliance 

  72. Professor Ian Welsh OBE, Chief Executive, Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE)

  73. Professor Nicole Busby, Professor of Law, Law School, University of Strathclyde

  74. Professor Robert Moore, North Wales Regional Equality Network

  75. Rene Meijer, Chief Executive Officer, Food Works 

  76. Revd Dr Noel Davies / Parch. Ddr Noel Davies, Chair / Cadeirydd, Wales & Europe Working Party of Cytûn (Churches together in Wales) / Gweithgor Cymru ac Ewrop Cytûn (Eglwysi ynghyd yng Nghymru)

  77. Rhian Davies, Chief Executive, Disability Wales

  78. Robert Murtagh, NUS-USI President, NUS-USI (N. Ireland Student Movement)

  79. Roger Casale, Founder and CEO, New Europeans

  80. Roger Thomas, Chair, Wales Environment Link

  81. Rt Hon Alun Michael, Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales

  82. Russel Hobson, Director of Policy and Land Use, Butterfly Conservation

  83. Ruth Harding, Clerk, Cardiff Local Quaker Meeting

  84. Ruth Marks, Chief Executive, Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA)

  85. Sarah Jones, Head of Policy and Campaigning, Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales

  86. Sarah Powell, Chair, Women's Equality Network

  87. Sara McCracken, Chief Executive, Angel Eyes NI 

  88. Seamus McAleavey, Chief Executive, NICVA (Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action)

  89. Shaben Begum, Director, Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance

  90. Sheila Hendrickson-Brown, CEO, Cardiff Third Sector Council

  91. Siôn Edwards, Communications Manager, The Venture I.C.C

  92. Stephen Marsh-Smith,CEO, Afonydd Cymru

  93. Steve Nash, Chairperson and Coordinator, Voluntary Sector Advisory Group (VOLSAG)

  94. Sue Lister, Artistic Director, Real People Theatre Company

  95. Susan Fleming, Administrator, Focus: The Identity Trust 

  96. Susie Ventris-Field, Chief Executive, Welsh Centre for International Affairs

  97. Tim Frew, Chief Executive, YouthLink Scotland

  98. Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive, Locality

  99. Vicky Browning, CEO, ACEVO

  100. Wiard Sterk, Advocate - Wales / Cymru, the3million

  101. Zamzam Ibrahim, President, NUS UK