MP accuses Government of “lack of transparency”

WARRINGTON South MP Faisal Rashid has accused the Government of a lack of transparency over the Trade Bill.
At the second reading of the Bill, Mr Rashid spoke out against the Government for the lack of Parliamentary and public scrutiny that has been included in the Bill
The Bill is designed to bring trade deals between the European Union and “Third Countries” into UK Law after Brexit to allow the UK to continue to trade with these countries.
However, the Bill contains no provision for any form of parliamentary or public scrutiny of these deals before they are enshrined into UK law.
Labour believe the Bill gives the government far too much un-checked and unnecessary power.
By using sweeping “Henry VIII” powers, the Government is proposing that it should be allowed to bring these new trade deals into law with no means of parliamentary scrutiny, no means of public consultation, no impact assessments, no debate, no way to amend the deals and crucially, no meaningful vote.
Mr Rashid – who has been selected to appear on the Bill committee which will consider amendment and scrutinise it further – said this was simply not acceptable, and that power should be given to the British people, as was promised during the referendum.
He said: “This Bill is nothing short of an assault on parliamentary sovereignty, and on our democracy. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Bill does almost nothing but undermine MPs’ capacity to scrutinise legislation.
“This is yet another desperate power grab by the Government, who are continuing to show complete contempt for democracy.
“We have heard time and again that Britain’s departure from the European Union was to be about taking back control, and giving power back to the UK Parliament and the British people. Yet all this Bill is doing is leaving the British people vulnerable to the whims of ‘big business’ and taking power away from parliament.
“Trade deals have the potential to impact on how our public services are run, our workers’ rights, our health and safety regulation, our environmental regulation and many other areas; we must be prepared to protect these.
“I will continue, along with my Labour colleagues, to fight for these protections, for my constituents in Warrington South, and for people across the United Kingdom.”