No Thanks M'Lords

Good afternoon,

This week the Government defeated amendments to give Parliament a greater role in future trade deals as it voted against multiple Lords Amendments to the Trade Bill. This week, we also published our new report “Seizing the Opportunity: The case for embracing civil society’s role in democracy” by Kathryn Sturgeon. You can download it today. As usual we have recommended reading for your Friday.

Enjoy,
Jacob

In Politics

Trade Bill

  • Trade Bill passes through the Commons after rejecting key Lords amendments

  • Conservative rebellion on parliamentary approval and China but not enough to defeat the Government

  • The Government’s rejection of key amendments show they want a free hand to negotiate without ensuring protections for key rights and standards

This week the Trade Bill 2019-21 continued its journey through the Commons. The Bill is a key Brexit Bill that enables ministers to roll over trade agreements, made when the UK was a member of the EU, with minimal scrutiny. The Bill is in ping pong with consideration of the Commons amendments due in the Lords on 2nd February.

The Government defeated a raft of Lords amendments to this Bill. They covered a range of issues including Amendment 1 that would have provided for parliamentary approval of trade agreements.

During these votes there were a handful of Conservative rebels on Amendment 1, 11 Conservative MP’s including former Brexit Secretary David Davis, former Minister for Sport and Civil Society Tracey Crouch, and Jonathan Djanogly. The Government won the vote 353 to 277 defeating the inclusion of parliamentary approval on trade deals.

The Government also defeated amendments to protect the NHS and public health data in future trade deals, for the Government to conduct a risk assessment on whether an agreement would comply with international treaties and obligations, particularly human rights, and to prevent a trade deal with states accused of committing genocide.

Amendment 3, preventing the UK from signing trade deals with states accused of committing genocide, is targeted at preventing a trade deal with China. This had the biggest Conservative rebellion and the Government win was close, 319 to 308, demonstrating the strength of feeling within the Conservative backbenchers. Noted Brexiteers David Davis, and Iain Duncan Smith were among the rebels. They were also joined by the DUP.

These rebellions show once again the politics of the Commons has changed significantly. On more Brexit related amendments, such as parliamentary scrutiny, the Government wins easily even with a small Conservative rebellion.

The rejection of these amendments also demonstrates that the Government wants as free hand as possible in negotiating trade deals. Despite repeated assurances that the NHS, rights, and standards will be protected in the UK from future trade deals the Government keeps rejecting opportunities to put these commitments into law.

In Policy

Seizing the Opportunity: The case for embracing civil society’s role in democracy

  • Read our new report now!

  • Launch event brought civil society from across the UK together to make the case for embracing civil society’s role in democracy

Our new report has been published! You can read Seizing the Opportunity: The case for embracing civil society’s role in democracy by Kathryn Sturgeon on our website today.

Seizing the Opportunity sets out a vision for “A vibrant civil society in which civil society organisations can engage in democratic processes inside and outside of the formal policy sphere”.

Over the past few years as we have travelled around the devolved nations and regions of the UK we have heard time and again the frustration and isolation many organisations feel from the formal policy sphere. At the same time we have heard of the huge breadth of expertise and experiences gained from the work organisations do. Often by working with their local communities they have expertise no-one else has which is valuable to the policy making process.

This report is needed because civil society organisations are vital to the functioning of democratic policy making. The UK’s future is in a moment of flux as we adjust to the new UK-EU trade deal and tackle the pandemic. To meet these challenges we need to include the views, interests, and evidence from people across the UK. Civil society organisations can help bridge the gap between citizens and the state.

In case you missed it, our launch was kicked off by Sue Tibballs (Sheila McKechnie Foundation) who discussed the latest findings of their campaigners survey (more information here)

We then had three interactive breakouts.Jane Thomas (former Brexit Civil Society Alliance Coordinator) led one discussing what meaningful engagement looks like and how organisations can get it. Kristiana Wrixon (ACEVO) held a discussion about the shrinking civic space and heard from participants on how civil society can respond. Anna Nicholl (WCVA) brought lessons from Wales engaging with the devolved administration and what can be taken from that to engaging with Westminster.

Finally Ruth Ibegbuna (RECLAIM, Commissioner in the Commission on Civil Society) gave a rousing speech about her experience founding organisations like RECLAIM and what can be achieved when people are fully involved and empowered.

Altogether all our speakers really set out why civil society organisations should be embraced. The expertise, experiences, and communities are all valuable to our democracy and by involving them we can have better policy making that works better for the people who are impacted by them.

In Parliament

Watch Commons and Lords debates and Committee sessions free on parliamentlive.tv

House of Lords

Tuesday 26th
Common Frameworks Scrutiny Committee - Oral evidence -Post-Brexit common frameworks (10:30 to 12:45) Location: virtual meeting

Wednesday 27th
EU Environment Sub-Committee - Oral evidence - Future UK-EU relations: energy, environment and health (09:30 to 12:30) Location: virtual meeting

In Events

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