Jacob Rees Mogg's bonfire of EU laws

"Today in the House of Commons, the Conservative Government are trying to force through a shameless power-grab, running roughshod over Parliament. Members of Parliament will have a chance to vote on the Retained EU Law Bill - and Liberal Democrat MPs will be opposing it.

The Conservatives want to drastically change Britain’s laws and protections at breakneck speed, without proper scrutiny. It poses huge risks for people and businesses all across the UK.

To make matters worse, this is an undemocratic power grab.

It’s the latest dogmatic act from the Conservatives. They erected barriers to trade with our neighbours, entangling small businesses, farmers and fishers in red tape.

Now, they are set to rip up thousands of vital regulations, many of which were the result of hard work by Liberal Democrat MEPs, without even giving Parliament the opportunity to properly debate and scrutinise these changes. Ministers won’t even have to lift a finger - the termination of those rights and protections at the end of next year will become the default.

The result? From removing crucial protections for workers’ rights to inviting an increase in sewage dumps from water companies as environmental laws are flushed down the drain, this Bill is an unmitigated disaster for our environment, our economy and our democracy.

This is unacceptable.

That’s why we will vote against the Bill today. Our MPs are working to ensure that Parliament is not silenced, including by supporting an amendment with other MPs - including Conservatives - which will force the Government to make clear exactly which protections and rights face being axed.

Then, if the Bill continues its passage to the House of Lords, Liberal Democrat peers will continue to fight against it and its undemocratic measures there.

We are standing up for democracy, whilst the Government tries to steamroller it.

And with the economy on a cliff edge thanks to Conservative incompetence, businesses don’t need more barriers to trade, or more uncertainty. Yet this Bill does precisely that - making life harder for businesses and making investment in the UK more uncertain at the worst possible moment.

Drastically changing Britain’s regulations and protections will effectively create yet more problems for British businesses who have already been negatively impacted by the Conservatives’ decision to erect barriers to trade with our neighbours and largest trading partner.

This Bill could dismantle our crucial environmental protections too.

The RSPB has described the potential revocation of environmental laws in the Defra policy space as “an attack on nature”, expressing particular concern about the regulation of air and water quality and prevention of pollution.

With the concerning news this week that Thames Water are planning to draw off tens of millions of litres of water a day from the Thames and replace it with treated effluent from nearby sewage works, the Government should be holding water companies to account with stronger regulations, not scrapping them.

Last year, Liberal Democrat research discovered that sewage was dumped on Blue Flag beaches 1,700 times, lasting 15,000 hours. These companies are threatening the safety of our environment, and they are being allowed to get away with it.

We will not stand for it, but we will stand up for your rights, your protections and our environment.

As we move towards vital Local Elections in some parts of England, and with a General Election on the horizon, it is important that we are able to elect even more Liberal Democrats across the country to stand up against these kinds of assaults on our democracy, just as we are doing today in trying to fight this Bill."

Sarah Olney MP

There are over 1000 environmental laws which aren’t being replaced by anything. This could be disaster out for wildlife. All in the name of ideology. Madness.

Here is lawyer, David Allen Green's take on this:

And now to the matter in hand: the reckless attempt by the current governing party to remove regulations inherited from our membership of the European Union.

You can tell almost no thought has gone into this exercise because of the superficial – indeed banal – contentions made in its favour.

It needs to be done, because of Brexit.

It matters not that many of these regulations may have been made for a good reason.

It matters not that some of these regulations were promoted by United Kingdom ministers and officials in our national interest.

It does not even matter that nobody is absolutely certain about how many regulations will be affected.

But it needs to be done, because of Brexit.

What we have in this repeal bill is the combination of the older absurdity of “bonfire of red tapes” with the newer one of needing to have something – anything – to show for Brexit being worthwhile.

For in January 2023, most people – including those who have a close or passionate interest in Brexit – can point to little or nothing concrete as a benefit of Brexit.

It is all a bit silly and needless.

Perhaps there should be a law against it.

davidallengreen.com/2023/01/bonfire-of-red-tape/

Most lawyers and commentators I have read on this Bill are tearing their hair out at the utter stupidity of it...

Let's hope that the House of Lords can do something about it.

I cant say I understand all of this, but glad there are some Gransnetters who may.
Even if I dont agree with everything and what everyone has written on here.

So hoping you dont mind I have posted something. Partly so I can be a bit more understanding of it all than previously, and without having to keep refinding the thread.

There are a few Tories who are very unhappy about what JRM is doing. I am hoping that it all doesn’t get nodded through.

The environmental stuff would be a disaster. Government departments like the EA and DEFRA won’t know whether they are coming or going.

What an ignorant lot of b…………s they are.

Bonfire of red tape

I’ll believe that when it happens, previously the UK actually added a lot of extra regulations on top of EU rules.

I can hardly comment on this.
It is mindless.

Even a 5 year old could see Rees-Mogg's attack on EU derived regulations is barmy. The plain fact is that these regulations were voted into existence as EU Directives by UK government Ministers at the various EU Councils. Very few were opposed by the UK. They generally serve a useful purpose in protecting the public from unsafe practices, etc. It is of course another example of Brexit madness which many people (except the Tories and Labour) are beginning to realise was a monumental mistake. Ask any small business owner with an export trade.

Every time a new law was passed, especially anything environmental, I used to think "This wouldn't have happened if we weren't in the EU" Sadly it looks as if I will be proved right.

By the way DD has just come back from a trip to the US. She said the people she met (mainly scientists and businessmen) wanted to know what on earth was happening here, and who the blonde woman was who was photographed with the Queen just before she died!

It is actually frightening to me that a coach and horses is being driven through laws which were much needed. In the name of "the EU" created the law so must be bad, despite the fact that we created many of them and were fully involved in the development of them all. All to satisfy that madness that says, if it was EU then it was bad.

Given that we have left the EU, what other options does Parliament have?
Would the abolition of each EU law need to be debated and a vote passed? Presumably that’s 4000 individual laws?

Have to admit though that anything with the name of Jacob Rees Mogg on it has me very worried.

Banana republic here we come. I think we’re level with Greece in administration efficiency and it’s warm there!

ronib

Given that we have left the EU, what other options does Parliament have?
Would the abolition of each EU law need to be debated and a vote passed? Presumably that’s 4000 individual laws?

Have to admit though that anything with the name of Jacob Rees Mogg on it has me very worried.

Banana republic here we come. I think we’re level with Greece in administration efficiency and it’s warm there!

The option is obvious.

Do nothing. Theses laws have served us very well, they have all been taken into U.K. law - what is the problem? And cost.

The Tories certainly know how to waste money don’t they?

JRM has invested in companies with some of the worst environmental records in the world. Of course he wants rid of legislation which restricts activities in this country, he wants to make more money!! bylinetimes.com/2022/09/26/jacob-rees-moggs-funding-ties-with-dirty-canadian-pipeline-giants-and-palm-oil-deforestation/

Whitewavemark2 The Tories certainly know how to make money… for themselves! At our expense?

Glorianny I am now getting very depressed.

I have obviously got my haven't a clue head on but I seem to remember that there was a blanket transfer of all EU laws onto the U.K. statute books when we left.

Is this a clearing out of those laws that are not relevant since we have left?

I hope that the environmental ones remain or replaced with similar

The other extremely worrying thing about this Bill is that it removes power over the next steps (replacing current laws or just letting them slide) from Parliament and gives it to Ministers.

GrannyGravy13

I have obviously got my haven't a clue head on but I seem to remember that there was a blanket transfer of all EU laws onto the U.K. statute books when we left.

Is this a clearing out of those laws that are not relevant since we have left?

I hope that the environmental ones remain or replaced with similar

No, it is a clearing out of the whole lot and start again. The whole thing is insanity.

Whitewavemark2

GrannyGravy13

I have obviously got my haven't a clue head on but I seem to remember that there was a blanket transfer of all EU laws onto the U.K. statute books when we left.

Is this a clearing out of those laws that are not relevant since we have left?

I hope that the environmental ones remain or replaced with similar

No, it is a clearing out of the whole lot and start again. The whole thing is insanity.

OK

I can see the logic of removing those which are no longer relevant to the U.K. outside of the EU.

Removing all and replacing is surely going to take 1,000 of hours of debate? Both houses tied up when there are other more pressing things which need their attention.

The point is that there is to be no debate. I think that the Tories are using a Henry V111 clause to shift power to the executive and away from parliament - thus no debate.

Isn’t that what this stupid Brexit was all about? Chickens are coming home to roost and so much for ‘democracy’.

Given that we have left the EU, what other options does Parliament have?
Would the abolition of each EU law need to be debated and a vote passed? Presumably that’s 4000 individual laws?

The answer to your second question is Yes, ronib

That is the function of parliament, this, believe it or not, is what MPs are elected for, to scrutinise, possibly amend, and debate proposed legislation. Then vote on it. They are not supposed to be rubber stamps, they are not paid £84,000 a year to be rubber stamps. However, tories seem to have forgotten that and have no objection the government's power grab which includes rushing proposed legislation so fast through the parliamentary stages that there is absolutely no time for scrutiny, amendment or debate. Even if this suits tory MPs, as representatives of the voters of this country they should be mindful of the need for MPs of all parties to have their say on proposed legislation and for it to be properly scrutinised and debated.

This Bill represents a power grab by the government. The 'government' (properly called the 'Executive') represents the monarch in parliament and the monarch has no power to make the law because a Civil War was fought in the 17th century to take that power away from the monarch . It is the MPs, the Legislature, who have the power to make the law.

This bill proposes to do away with 4,000 pieces of legislation. It then says that Ministers, (i.e members of the Executive, which is not the lawmaking body) will be able to make any laws they want to replace the laws that have been done away with. With no scrutiny or approval by Parliament. So what then is the point of having MPs?

There will be hundreds (if not 1,000s) of civil servants drafted in to draft the 'new' laws (because that is what some civil servants do, but Rees Mogg wanted to get rid of 9,000 civil servants, don't forget) so what happens to the work they normally do? And with the best will in the world they can't possibly replace 4,000 laws in less than a year. So, chaos.

And what happens for industry , both management and workers, in 2024 when 1,000s of laws regarding standards, worker's rights etc., haven't been replaced?

It is thoroughly irresponsible and a recipe for utter disaster.

Of course, it's all being done in the name of Brexit and the assumption that the hard of thinking voters who voted for it will cheer the government on and re-elect it at the next GE because they are 'really getting Brexit done'.

I can see that some EU laws (such as those related to growing olives commercially for example) are not particularly useful just now, but they do no harm just sitting there.
...and one day we may be pleased to have some olive guidelines 🙄

Roll on the General Election!