Rishi Sunak, one of the candidates for our next Prime Minister, announced he would tear up decades of European legislation that protected food standards, animal welfare, employee rights, and the environment.
A leader should prioritise tackling the biggest cost-of-living crisis in a generation. If you or I were Prime Minister, I would like to think that we would look at the racket of crises facing our leaders — war in Europe, the like of which we have not seen in 77 years, increasing fuel prices, record-breaking energy bills — and do things differently.
Our first 100 days would focus on issues that matter most to people. That can make a difference to so many facing an uncertain economic future.
Instead, Rishi Sunak has said that in his first 100 days, he would repeal 2,400 laws and protections created by the UK and its European neighbours over the last 50 years.
These laws limit the number of hours an employee can safely work every week. They protect animal welfare and ensure animal abuse does not go unpunished. They prevent over-processed food like chlorinated chicken from appearing on our shop shelves.
Ripping up these protections is what Rishi Sunak wants to focus on. He said that the first 100 days are critical to “keep Brexit safe”.
Rishi is right to run scared. Brexit is far from safe. Because of the actions of this Government, it is clearer now more than ever before that Brexit has failed.
The first 100 days of the next Prime Minister will be more Brexit purgatory. More time spent out in the cold, a void of leadership and direction that has already claimed the careers of the last three Prime Ministers and will likely end the next one’s too.
At the European Movement, we want to send Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss a clear message: your scramble to appease your party faithful confirms that we face a real Battle for the Soul of our Country.
And we are ready.
We will always stand for a strong united Europe, focused on the issues that matter the most to people. We are calling out the lies and warning against making the same mistakes that ended David Cameron, Theresa May, and Boris Johnson’s premierships.
Brexit is far from safe because Brexit isn’t working. We need to win the Battle of the Soul of our Country, and then we can finally take our place back at the heart of Europe.
Lord Andrew Adonis
Chair, European Movement UK