Responding to today’s news that Boris Johnson plans to slash Brexit red tape by introducing new restrictions on devolved powers, Anna Bird, CEO of European Movement, said:

“The very name Brexit Freedoms Bill is an insult to all the families facing rising prices, lorry drivers stuck in massive queues and businesses mired in red tape caused by Brexit.

“What Boris Johnson’s hard Brexit government means by Brexit freedom is freedom to slash standards and protections. Freedom to import food that does not meet EU standards. Freedom to dump sewage in rivers. Freedom to destroy the rights of hardworking Brits.

“What is more, devolved administrations are right to be concerned that this smells of a central government power grab – taking away control from Edinburgh, Cardiff and Stormont and giving it to Boris Johnson.”