This is the final edition of our weekly e:bulletin as the Brexit Civil Society Alliance comes to an end this week. With the project wrapping up I wanted to have a special edition of the final bulletin where I share with you some of the resources we have created over the past few years of our work. I hope the bulletin has proved useful in keeping you up to date with Brexit happenings. I also hope you enjoy the resources outlined today! As usual there is some recommended reading for your Friday.
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.
With the Brexit deal agreed what will come next? The FT reported this week that plans are already underway to regress on workers’ rights and some Brexit Bills are still making their way through parliament. We also have a guest piece from Kathryn Sturgeon about our new report “Seizing the Opportunity: the case for embracing civil society’s role in democracy.” As usual we have recommended reading for your Friday.
Happy New Year! A trade deal between the EU and UK was agreed while we were all busy eating our Christmas dinner. In today’s E:Bulletin we look at some of the key parts you should be aware of. We have a new report about the case for embracing civil society in democracy coming out in January and we’d love to see you at our launch event (details below). As usual we have recommended reading for your Friday.
This week talks over dinner between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen didn’t amount to much other than a new deadline for negotiations. This Sunday was picked as a deadline for a “firm decision”. Negotiations have been bubbling away for a long time now with the same three topics (fisheries, level playing field, and sovereignty) causing disagreements for both sides. We find out next week if a decision has been made.
Meanwhile, we have two excellent new podcast episodes out for you to listen to. A two part series about how ministers make law using delegated legislation, what the issues with this are, how it has affected the process of legislating for Brexit, and how you can campaign on it. We also look ahead to events in Parliament and as usual have recommended reading for your Friday.
In light of the pandemic, the Brexit Civil Society Alliance have coordinated a letter to the Home Secretary, asking her to make adjustments to the EU Settlement Scheme to protect EU citizens and family members from Covid-19.
Restrictions on work, travel & services risk many EU citizens & their family members losing residency rights and being made destitute. No one should have to choose between putting food on the table and securing their rights, and protecting their own and the public’s health.
This week marks four years since the 2016 referendum. This has been a long winding journey that is still not complete. We look at where it might go next with the new developments in the negotiations, and what the UK government needs to be ready for exiting in December. As usual we have a range of recommended reading. Unusually for this week we also have an audio version of the bulletin (unabridged narration by yours truly) for those who prefer text in audio format. Click the big play button to listen.
The UK has formally said it will not seek an extension to the transition period. This means the UK leaves the transition period at the end of December with or without a deal. Meanwhile we have updated our report ‘Rights After Brexit: What Will Change?’, exploring what the current and future status of our rights are. As usual some recommended reading at the end for your Friday.
This week over 50 civil society organisations have signed a joint open letter to the Prime Minister asking for him to extend the transition period due to the challenges of Covid-19. Citizens’ rights are potentially at risk in Northern Ireland which has been revealed following a series of Freedom of Information requests to the UK Home Office. As usual we have some recommended reading for your Friday.
This week the Commons and the Lords have questioned the UK’s Chief Negotiator and Michael Gove. Industry bodies are warning that they will struggle to get ready for a new customs regime at the end of 2020. We have our final Brexit Answers session, on the legal changes arising from Brexit and as usual some recommended reading for you.
The UK has published a document outlining their approach to the Northern Ireland protocol. Organisations have been waiting for this as the Protocol is entirely the UK’s responsibility to administer but up to now, the UK has released little details about how it would do so. Negotiations between the EU and the UK are also continuing, but are not progressing. We have more Brexit Answers sessions for you on the EU Settlement Scheme, trade, and legal challenges arising from Brexit. As always we end with some recommended reading for you.
Previously denied by Johnson, the UK Government did indeed confirmed, in a letter to the Executive Office in Stormont, this week that there will be checks on goods travelling between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Meanwhile in a win for citizens rights, the UK Home Office has accepted that people born in Northern Ireland are EU citizens and Emma De Souza can apply for her husband to stay in the UK. We have more #BrexitAnswers for you and some recommended reading for your Friday.