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The UK may have now left the European Union, but the European Movement’s work is far from over. That’s why this week, I officially announced that I have joined the European Movement National Council.

The ‘Australia-style’ being touted by Boris Johnson is really a No Deal Brexit in disguise.

With the prime minister recklessly threatening to walk away from trade negotiations if an agreement is not reached by June, and refusing to extend the transition period even when faced with a global pandemic, it has never been more important to hold this government to account.

The European Movement is fighting tooth and nail to maintain the closest possible relationship with our European partners and prevent Boris Johnson from wreaking havoc on our economy, our NHS, and our environment through a disastrous No Deal Brexit. 

When Winston Churchill founded the European Movement in 1949, he described the aim of the organisation as “to re-create the European Family, or as much of it as we can, and provide it with a structure under which it can dwell in peace, in safety and in freedom”.

The task ahead of us is enormous. However, I firmly believe that we can still achieve Churchill’s vision by striving together for our common interests and values, and I look forward to working with the European Movement to accomplish those aims.

Kind Regards, 

Dominic Grieve 

As I explained on 17^th March, the European Movement is respecting official advice about social distancing which, inevitably, suspends those of our traditional campaigning activities that involve social contact and engagement. But it leaves much that we can do, and are still doing.

I am writing following questions from several of our local campaign groups seeking advice about the potential impact of COVID-19, the Coronavirus, on the operations of European Movement UK.

As you may be aware, as a former Health Minister I have been involved in numerous studio discussions on the subject in recent weeks and I have consistently taken the line that, although I think the government has sometimes moved too slowly, ministers are right to follow the scientific advice and I therefore recommend that European Movement groups follow the official guidance from the NHS, and from other organisations such as Public Health England, Public Health Wales, the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland, and Health Protection Scotland.

The two key principles which should guide official policy and guidance are:

• It must be based on the best available evidence
• It must be explained to the public

Official guidance inevitably involves judgements, but those judgements are based on evidence which is available for all of us to see, and which has not been seriously challenged.

In those circumstances I strongly believe that the right course of action is for us to act in line with official guidance which has now changed to encourage us to avoid unnecessary social contact. Regretfully I believe we should include our group activities in this broad-ranging definition, and – in common with other campaigning groups – we should advise all local EM groups to suspend activities until further notice. We will be continually monitoring the latest official guidance, and should the situation change significantly we will issue updated advice to our groups.

As individuals the advice is now familiar:

• Wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
• Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
• Put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands afterwards
• Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell
• Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean
• Avoid all non-essential contact, and work from home if you can 

If you are experiencing a new or continuous cough, or have developed a high temperature, please stay at home for fourteen days and call 111 for NHS advice. 

I hope this period will not be unduly protracted and look forward to being able to resume the argument which brings us together in the European Movement.

Stephen Dorrell
Chair of European Movement UK

Former Conservative MP Dominic Grieve and Former Green MEP Molly Scott Cato have joined the National Council of the European Movement. 

Their appointments come as the organisation charts a new course following the election, and is now focused on holding the government to account and ensuring that European rights, values, and standards are upheld in British law following the end of the Brexit transition period. 

Commenting, Dominic Grieve said: 

“When I spoke at the Grassroots for Europe conference in January I was struck by the passion and enthusiasm of European Movement activists. The UK may have now left the European Union, but the movement’s 126 local groups in communities across the UK are continuing to mobilise and work towards the closest possible relationship with our European partners. It is a privilege to work alongside them” 

Molly Scott Cato, former Green MEP said:

“The UK may have now left the European Union, but despite what Boris Johnson would like you to believe, Brexit isn’t done. With the Prime Minister threatening to walk away from trade negotiations if no agreement is reached by June, it is more important than ever that European Movement activists continue to urge the government to aim for a settlement that maintains the vital legal protections offered by our EU membership. I look forward to working with the European Movement’s network of campaigners across the country to help shape our future relationship with our friends in Europe.” 

European Movement Chair Stephen Dorrell welcomed the new appointments, saying: 

“We are thrilled to welcome Dominic and Molly to the European Movement National Council. They may come from different parties, but both are exceptional leaders who recognise the importance of maintaining strong ties with the European Union and its member states. Their voices will be a valuable asset to our organisation as we fight to ensure that Boris Johnson’s government is challenged to justify itself each time it takes a decision to deviate away from European values and norms.”

According to a report released this morning by the National Audit Office, Brexit preparations have cost the British taxpayer over £4bn.

The report states that government departments have already spent at least £4.4 billion of the £6.3 billion allocated for Brexit preparations. 

According to the independent spending watchdog, '£1.9 billion went towards staffing costs; £288 million was spent on expertise and external advice; and £1.5 billion on activities such as building new systems and infrastructure'.

Commenting on the report, European Movement chair Stephen Dorrell said: 

“This report highlights the astounding cost of Brexit that has been hidden from the public.

The £4.4 billion already spent on Brexit preparations only represents what the government has spent, and does not take into account the costs to businesses and the public caused by the government's shifting outcomes and timetables, not to mention the Brexit process itself.

The astonishing £1.9 billion already spent on staffing costs follows on from the news last week that the government will need to recruit 50,000 new customs officers within the next six months whose job it will be to increase bureaucracy at our borders.

The report also highlights the disproportionate cost of a No deal Brexit. We already know that businesses have been saddled with significant costs due to the prolonged uncertainty of the Brexit process. This makes Boris Johnson's threats of an "Australian style" trade deal - which is really no deal in disguise - if trade negotiations are not completed by June even more worrying.

The lack of detail and limited data contained in the report is indicative of the secretive way that the government is delivering Brexit. Once again, there is an appalling lack of transparency which indicates that the government is avoiding the critique and accountability that is necessary for such a significant political event.

Boris Johnson is insisting on delivering one of the greatest constitutional changes in half a century behind smoke and mirrors, without the democratic accountability we expect of our government.”

A US-UK Free Trade Agreement was a key prize highlighted by the Leave campaign during the referendum. Yesterday we got a sneak peak into what that may look like and we are considering whether this trade deal is quite the prize that we were told it would be.

The US’s Objectives

Since the US published its negotiating objectives in February 2019, the US has been very clear about its objectives for a trade deal. Concerns have been raised that these objectives could impact welfare, health and the environment in the UK.

The UK’s Objectives

Yesterday, the UK released its approach to UK-US trade deal negotiations (you can read the full mandate here). There are 4 key parts of the UK’s objectives that jump out as significant.

1. Increase in GDP?

Yesterday’s negotiating objectives highlight the fact that UK GDP could increase. However, the government’s own report predicts an increase of just 0.16% boost to the UK’s economy in a best-case scenario.

This small figure is even more negligible when compared to the considerable cost that Brexit has had and will continue to have.

2. Environmental Impact

The document says that the agreement will be “in line with the Government’s ambition on climate”. However, later in the document the government warns that the trade agreement could lead to an "increase the intensive use of chemical inputs and increase threats to biodiversity".

We are facing a climate crisis and we must not allow the environmental standards we enjoyed as part of the EU to drop. Instead we must either maintain or increase environmental standards, and the US trade-deal is one to watch.

3. Food standards

From Chlorinated Chicken to industrial scale farming with low animal welfare standards, food standards has been a key sticking point when it comes to a US-UK trade deal. Here is a list of just some of the potential food standards issuesthat we could face in a US-UK trade deal. As part of the EU we enjoyed much higher food standards than in the US, and this is not something we want to see change post-Brexit.

The objectives, at first glance seem to be saying all the right things: “This will include not compromising on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards.”

However, it is unlikely that the US will sign a deal that does not have food standards in it. The negotiating team may see food standards as a small sacrifice to make for a big trade deal. Whilst Boris Johnson may choose not reduce UK food standards, the risk of the US importing food produced at a far lower standard and undercutting UK farmers is high.

4. The NHS

There was uproar following the statement from trump that “everything is on the table” when it comes to trade, including the NHS. This may be why the outline very clearly states that “the National Health Service (NHS) will not be on the table.”

This will be relieving to many of us who were concerned that our NHS might be dissected and sold for parts. Whilst this is promising, the government must be held to account on this. The current standards that we enjoy in the NHS from free health care to the sale of pharmaceuticals must be maintained or exceeded. Furthermore, whilst the UK’s objectives are saying all the right things, the fundamental question will be: is it possible to keep the NHS off the table, especially with the Trump administration that has rolled back health care in the US.

Are the UK’s negotiating objectives plausible?

Commenting on the analysis, European Movement CEO Hugo Mann said:

"When it comes to trade deals negotiating positions are important. After leaving the EU, the UK has to negotiate its own trade agreements for the first time in 40 years. Furthermore, it is negotiating trade deals with a number of other countries at the same time, not least the EU."

"Not only is the UK’s position weaker in terms of trading clout, but it is also the underdog. The US economy is six times the size of the UK’s and the percentage of UK exports to the US are significantly higher than the US’s exports to the UK. Combine this with Trump’s “America First” attitude and it becomes clear that compromises are going to have to be made."

"The UK has announced their objectives in a flurry of fighting talk, however, their position does not look promising. Therefore, we must fight to ensure that the standards that were maintained in the UK whilst we were part of the EU, are maintained and not weakened during these trade negotiations."

The negotiating mandate published by the government this morning has laid out an alarming vision for the future where the United Kingdom will diverge from European Union regulations on key issues, risking the possibility that efforts to tackle climate change and unfair competition could be undermined.

Commenting, European Movement Chair Stephen Dorrell said:

“This is the first time since the end of the Second World War that the government has outlined a mandate for negotiations that will not tear down borders to trade but erect them. Despite claiming to be pro-trade and pro-enterprise, this government is actively taking steps to isolate ourselves from our closest neighbours.

Boris Johnson and his government must not be permitted to use Brexit as an opportunity to do away with regulations protecting workers, the environment and standards.

Instead of distancing ourselves from our partners in Europe, we should be working together to tackle the biggest issues of our time. This politics of protectionism only serves to erode our common interests and values.”

Read more

Climate change is one of the most important issues facing not only the UK but the planet. Our wildlife is close to extinction and our environment is under huge stress. 

Even though EU environmental regulation is not perfect, and it has not solved our climate crisis yet, without EU regulation our environment could have been in an even worse position. 

Before joining the EU, the UK was the “dirty man” of Europe and EU regulation helped us to clean up our act. For example, we pumped sewage into the sea in the 1970s. The EU regulators, and the threat of fines, ensured that we stopped putting untreated sewage into the sea. 

The chance for a greener UK

The Environment Bill is a unique opportunity to protect our environment and to ensure that we are serious about tackling climate change in the future. While DEFRA has called this bill the 'gold standard' of environmental standards, the Bill softens the enforcement power we had under EU regulations. This is likely to lead to backsliding rather than reaching new heights in environmental protection. The memory of the untreated sewage being pumped into the seas before joining the EU is enough to encourage us to clean up our act. 

All bark and no bite 

The bill outlines the creation of the independent watchdog of the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP), to replace the environmental oversight of the EU. However, both the independence and the enforcement power of this new body outlined in the bill are questionable. Yesterday, at the second reading of the Bill Eustice was questioned on the "teeth" of the OEP.

Despite the bill defining the OEP as separate to the government, the personnel appointments and the budget of the OEP will be determined by the government. Independence of the OEP will be essential if his new body is to match the independent watchdog powers of the EU.

Furthermore, the enforcement powers of the OEP will be reduced to a slap on the wrist if the OEP cannot issue fines and if they do not have enough legal force to ensure compliance with environmental law. When it came to sewage in our seas, it was the force of the regulator and threat of fines that ensured that we cleaned up our act. 

For our planet 

Leaving the EU must not be used as an opportunity to loosen environmental regulation. We need an environmental bill that grasps this opportunity to protect our planet and maintains or exceeds EU environmental standards.