Tick Tock.

 
 
 

Good morning,

Time flies in politics and now there is now less than 100 days left until the UK leaves the transition period. In today's Bulletin we look at the Internal Market Bill, if the Government has done enough to prepare people for the transition end, and the EU Settlement Scheme. Key parliamentary events next week are outlined and as usual we have recommended reading for your Friday.

Enjoy,
Jacob

In Politics

100 Days of Transition Left

  • Less than 100 days remain until the UK leaves the transition period

  • Businesses largely unprepared for the new relationship

  • Internal Market Bill delayed until December

There is lots to do and not much time to do it in. This week started with the Internal Market Bill returning to the Commons. This is after the Government proposed their own amendment to head off a potential Conservative rebellion, which passed without a division. The amendment would mean that Ministers cannot break international law without first getting approval from Parliament, but in the words of former Prime Minister Theresa May, “it makes no difference whether a decision to break international law is taken by a Minister or by this Parliament; it is still a decision to break international law”. 

Beyond the controversial law-breaking clauses, the Bill contains several other key issues Our open letter to Parliamentarians across both Houses outlines how the bill not only poses a threat to the rule of law but to the devolution settlements and UK’s high standards in a number of areas, including housing, health and environmental regulations.

The Times reports that the Government has also decided to delay the Bill with it not expected to return to the Commons, after its passage through the Lords, until December at the earliest. In their article, The Times suggests this delay is in order to keep negotiations moving with the EU. The EU has been upset with the UK about the threat to break the Withdrawal Agreement. Indeed they are threatening legal action. We will see if this delay to the Bill assures the EU to keep the negotiations going. We now have just over a month until the deadline for a deal, the 31st October. 

Speaking of short time spans, as of Wednesday 23rd September there remain only 100 days until the UK leaves the transition period with or without a deal on the future relationship with the EU. 

Michael Gove, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, marked the occasion with a speech in the Commons. You can read in full on Hansard. His speech contained the results of a survey taken by the Government asking businesses if they were ready for the end of the transition period where “just 24% [of businesses] believed that they are fully ready”.

Meanwhile, “43% of businesses believe that the transition period will be extended” despite as Gove says “the deadline for any extension is now long past”. Earlier this year the Government made the decision not to request an extension to the transition period. This decision was made despite wide-spread calls for an extension including the devolved administrations and over 50 civil society organisations saying an extension was necessary because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As evidenced by the Governments own survey results, many are unprepared for the new relationship between the UK and the EU. There remains a significant to-do list for the Government to do to prepare businesses. It is important to remember it is not just business who need to prepare. Many in civil society who are still waiting for news of the promised replacement of EU funding with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and no consultation about it have yet appeared. Indeed we highlighted back in April this year that time is of the essence.

The Institute for Government has published a blog looking at what is needed to be done before the end of the transition period. This includes a warning that the preparations for Brexit have been made more difficult by the Covid-19 pandemic. The preparation for the implementation for the Northern Ireland protocol needs to happen, and has been made harder by the uncertainty caused by the Internal Market Bill. Ultimately many are unprepared for the new relationship between the UK and the EU in January and the Government has very limited time to help.

In Policy

This Is Important: The EU Settlement Scheme

  • A new podcast series from us at the Brexit Civil Society Alliance

  • First episode details barriers facing EU citizens in scouring their rights

  • Listen now on Spotify (and other apps) bit.ly/This_Is_Important

The EU Settlement Scheme is how EU citizens secure their right to live in the UK after the transition period. It has been up and running since March 2019 but there remain many barriers to accessing the scheme especially for vulnerable people.

In the first episode of our new podcast, This Is Important, I speak to experts from the migration sector, including the3million, Here For Good, and JCWI, about how the scheme works, what barriers different groups of Europeans face, and importantly what you can do to help!

Alexandra Bulat, young Europeans network manager at the3million, talks about her research speaking to young Europeans. A group, who on the face of it are expected to be able to access the scheme. She details how many young Europeans are not aware of the scheme, the Home Office haven’t reached them, and the situation is more complex than many think.

Carla Mirallas Martinez, volunteer coordinator at Here For Good and registered European lawyer, talks us through the various barriers many vulnerable groups face in accessing the scheme. Digital exclusion of elderly people, English language only access, and how Roma communities are being excluded. The many different barriers often overlap for different groups in vulnerable positions.  

Caitlin Boswell, project officer for EU citizens rights at JCWI, explains the cliffedge facing Europeans when the scheme ends in June next year. All who haven’t applied will face the hostile environment, where living the life they have done legally for so long will suddenly become impossible. Caitlin also details what the pandemic has done, the new barriers it has created, and what the Home Office has done to help or perhaps hindered access.

Do not despair though. While the picture is concerning there are ways to solve it. Each organisation, often working together, has solutions to the problems. I ask each speaker to give ways for you to get involved and help! 

The 30 minute episode is available for free. Listen and subscribe on Spotify and other podcast providers such as Pocket Casts and Overcast. 

Search “This Is Important” to listen and subscribe or press the button below. 

LISTEN HERE

In Parliament

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

House of Commons

Tuesday 29th
Legislation United Kingdom Internal Market Bill: Remaining Stages

Wednesday 30th
Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union - Oral evidence - Progress of the negotiations on the UK’s Future Relationship with the EU (at 9:30 am) Locations : Virtual meeting

Thursday 1st
Oral questions Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Michael Gove) (including Topical Questions)

Welsh Affairs Committee - Oral evidence - Brexit and trade: implications for Wales (at 9:30 am) Location: Room 5, Palace of Westminster

House of Lords

Tuesday 29th
Legislation Trade Bill - committee stage (day one)

Wednesday 30th
Legislation Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill - report stage (day 1)

Thursday 1st
Legislation Agriculture Bill - Third reading

Legislation Trade Bill - committee stage (day two)

In Events

The EU Settlement Scheme across the UK: challenges ahead

The Brexit Civil Society Alliance are bringing together political and civil society representatives from across the UK to discuss challenges with the EU Settlement Scheme, particularly in the context of devolution.

Speakers confirmed: Hayley Morgan (TGP Cymru), Una Boyd (Committee on the Administration of Justice). Further information to follow.

In this event our speakers will explore problems with the scheme, different experiences and issues across the four parts of the UK, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead. After a panel discussion we will open the floor to questions from the audience.  

Recommended Reading