This Bill is not about whether we leave the EU, it’s about how we leave the EU. The Government want us to vote through a Bill which would give the Government the power to bypass Parliament. Despite all the rhetoric in the Referendum being about “taking back control” – the EU Bill would take power from Brussels, not to give it to our democratically elected House of Commons but to give it to Ministers without any accountability to Parliament. As Labour’s Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer has said this is “an unprecedented Government power grab” and that is why I and my Labour colleagues voted strongly against it at Second Reading on 11th September 2017.
Labour have been clear that the Bill the Government have put forward is not fit for purpose. It concentrates power in the hands of Ministers with too little parliamentary scrutiny. That is why Keir Starmer has tabled dozens of amendments to attempt to stop the Government’s power grab and I have added my name to these.
Whilst it is not yet clear which amendments will be voted on, Labour have made it clear that we are willing to work across the House to improve this Bill and support amendments which would restrict the scope of ministerial powers to ensure that vital regulations and protections are enforced.
Please be assured that when the Bill comes back to the House that is what I will do.