Truss promises to slash EU red tape – what’s the truth behind the rhetoric?
Liz Truss has promised to “consign to history” all EU red tape within the next year, axing to up to 2,400 laws on British statute books.
It was not just party conference rhetoric. Her government is planning to pass legislation to give itself the power to simply switch off 40 years of EU harmonisation legislation at the stroke of midnight 31 December 2023. No list of laws targeted has been published.
Yet arguably the retained EU law (revocation and reform) bill is one of the most significant bills ever to come before MPs, with powers to expunge laws ranging from workers rights to regulatory protection for the environment without even a debate in parliament.
Professor of EU law Catherine Barnard and Hansard Society’s researchers Brigid Fowler and Tom West, which held a seminar on the matter on Wednesday to raise awareness, help wade through the complicated plans behind the government rhetoric.
The government’s bid to “take back control” includes extinguishing up to 2,400 laws flowing from EU treaties, directives and regulations by the end of next year through the retained EU law (revocation and reform) bill.
A government dashboard shows they cover 300 policy areas across 21 sectors, therefore affecting most areas of law.
The timetable is so dramatically telescoped – Jacob Rees-Mogg wanted a five-year timeline – many have raised concerns about the lack of parliamentary scrutiny.
The environmental lobby is already hotly contesting plans for deregulation. Even Boris Johnson’s father, Stanley, has said Jacob Rees must perform a “screeching U-turn” on countryside aspects.
Laws may be saved or updated under the rules, but it will only happen if someone makes a successful argument in their favour.
But there will be areas of law where
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