Oct 12th, 2017
Delegated Powers: Email your MP
By Becca McCarthy
Are we on the verge of stopping Theresa May from changing UK laws behind closed doors after Brexit? An incredible 370,000 of us have already signed the petition to stop parliament – and the public – from being shut out. It looks like it’s starting to work.
An influential group of MPs have just proposed amendments – changes to Theresa May’s plan. If these changes get voted through, Theresa May loses her blank cheque to sidestep parliament on how laws get changed after Brexit. The amendments are gathering support, but not all MPs have backed them yet. [1]
If we each email our MP, asking them to sign the amendments today, they’ll know they can’t sit on the sidelines any longer. If even a just few more MPs add their names, it could put the brakes on the government’s plan to swap murky backroom deals in Brussels for more of the same in Westminster.
So, will you email your MP now? It takes less than 2 minutes, and there’s some suggested text on what to say:
Since the referendum, 38 Degrees-ers have been speaking up for a Brexit that works for everyone. That includes making sure any new laws after Brexit are voted on properly in parliament. If the government gets their way – and awards itself the power to change the law without proper debate – it’ll be much easier for them to shut us out.
Hundreds of thousands of us have campaigned to give the public a proper say in Brexit, signing petitions and emailing our MPs. And now we’re starting to see MPs from all parties speak out against Theresa May’s power grab. The amendments being proposed are a great sign that we’re making a difference. The next step is for us to get enough MPs to sign up to them.
Notes:
[1] Dominic Grieve, John Penrose, and Nicky Morgan are among the MPs that have added their names to the amendments.
There are lots of amendments proposed for the bill, you can see them all (and see the MPs currently supporting them) here:
House of Commons: European Union (Withdrawal Bill): Notices of amendments:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/2017-2019/0005/amend/euwithdrawal_rm_cwh_1011.pdf
Dominic Grieve has proposed lots of amendments, the ones that we think will do the most to make sure parliament and the public get a proper say in important laws when we Brexit include amendments 1,3,5 and 8.
