Repeal bill paves way for Brexit
Britain published legislation on Thursday to sever political, financial and legal ties with the EU, an important step towards Brexit, but one that the opposition said it would challenge.
Britain published legislation on Thursday to sever political, financial and legal ties with the EU, an important step towards Brexit but one that the opposition said it would challenge.
The repeal bill is central to the government’s plan to exit the EU in 2019, disentangling Britain from more than 40 years of EU law making and repealing the treaty that first made Britain a member in 1972.
Its passage through parliament could make or break Theresa May’s future as prime minister. The election she called in June cost her an outright parliamentary majority and reopened the debate on the nature of Brexit, with Britain’s public spending watchdog saying the government is not well prepared.
“It is one of the most significant pieces of legislation that has ever passed through parliament and is a major milestone in the process of our withdrawal from the EU,” said Brexit minister David Davis.
The government also fleshed out its negotiating stance with the EU, publishing three position papers indicating Britain would quit nuclear body Euratom and leave the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.
May faces a battle even within her own Conservative Party to stick to her plan of a clean break. Pro-Brexit MPs will give her little room for movement, while pro-Europeans are looking to soften the divorce terms. Rebellion by either side could test May’s ability to negotiate a compromise or find opposition party support.
The publication of the bill is the first step in a long legislative process to ease Brexit, which is stretching the government with the sheer volume of issues to cover. A report by the government’s spending watchdog said Britain’s planned new customs system might not be ready in time for Brexit.
“We have been clear from the outset that we … have got the resources in place that we need to deliver on Brexit,” May’s spokesman said.
The parliament has yet to set a date to debate the bill, which will be closely examined to see how the government plans to carry out the difficult technical exercise of transposing EU law.
The bill sets out powers for ministers, with the approval of parliament, to correct laws to ensure they work after being brought into British law. These powers will exist until two years after the day Britain leaves. Parliamentarians have expressed concern that the sheer volume of work could limit their ability to scrutinise the changes effectively and fear the government will introduce policy change by the back door.
The Labour Party has said it would oppose the bill unless it met six conditions, including guarantees for workers’ rights. Tim Farron, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said he would work to soften May’s stance.
MAY FACES A BATTLE EVEN WITHIN HER OWN CONSERVATIVE PARTY TO STICK TO HER PLAN OF A CLEAN BREAK