The UK-EU “Divorce” Begins as Article 50 is Invoked

29 Mar 2017 --- As British Prime Minister Theresa May prepares to trigger Article 50 starting the formal process of the UK leaving the European Union, senior MP and former leader of the British Conservative Party, Iain Duncan Smith, is calling for a total overhaul of EU regulations before the next General Election.

UK newspaper, The Telegraph, started the call with its “Cut EU red tape” campaign, which has the backing on Smith, a stalwart Brexit campaigner. 

He believes the Conservatives should get rid of unnecessary rules to “reduce the burden” on businesses and individuals, while improving competitiveness and productivity, Among those rules, he says, are a multitude of regulations relating to food standards and safety. 

Following the events of today when Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty is officially passed onto President of the European Council Donald Tusk, tomorrow will see the government publish details of the great repeal bill, which sets out the UK’s massive legislative tasks ahead. 

As Britain eaves Europe, Theresa May has to steer the departure as smoothly as possible, including the country’s departure from the jurisdiction of EU law. This has major consequences for businesses up and down Britain and in almost every single sector in one way or another. 

The White Paper puts the power back in the hands of Westminster, not Brussels. 

“We should prepare to carry out a root and branch review of the costs of the regulatory burden of its intrusions into the daily lives of the citizens and businesses of the UK,” writes Smith in the The Telegraph. While fellow MP and former environment secretary Owen Paterson, said government has a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to get rid of unpopular EU regulations, such as the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy - although they would need to be replaced with new regulations especially designed for the interests of Britain and not Europe. 

CAP is the agricultural policy of the European Union and it implements a system of agricultural subsidies and other programs. Over the years, this like many other European-led policies, have come under close scrutiny and criticism with many UK politicians and sections of industry claiming some are not in the best interests of the British economy. 

But, Smith’s opinions have prompted criticism from the alliance for better food and farming, Sustain. 

“Is it a “burden” for parents to feed their babies with milk that they can feel confident is free from toxic melamine? Is it a “burden” for UK citizens to know that they have the legal right to be consulted on planning applications? Is it a “burden” for imported meat to be inspected as safe and free from contamination and horsemeat?,” says chief executive, Kath Dalmeny.

“It is far too easy for Iain Duncan Smith to dismiss sensible European legislation, institutions and conventions that offer us such protections (and which the UK has itself contributed to and championed over the decades) as a 'burden' and 'unnecessary red tape’.”

“Unfortunately, IDS displays exactly the standards-scything instincts that make a Henry VIII clause in the Great Repeal Bill such an unpalatable prospect. Given such scything executive powers, I can see IDS in future playing Donald Trump with a gold fountain pen, striking out standards and protections that we hold dear, without democratic scrutiny, and spinning it misleadingly as “cutting the price of food”.”

“The British public voted for Brexit, but they did not vote for unsafe food and environmental damage. That would be a price too high to pay. The Great Repeal Bill must robustly support the high food, farming and fishing standards that we all hold dear.”