Bonfire of EU laws watered down to just 800 after meeting of Brexit MPs
The government is to ditch plans to scrap up to 4,000 EU laws by the end of the year after a private meeting with Brexiter MPs.
It now aims to remove just 800 statutes and regulations instead of 3,700 laws it had lined up for a bonfire of EU law in December, threatening everything from passenger rights to compensation for cancelled flights, to equality employment law and environmental standards and protections.
The plan emerged after the trade secretary, Kemi Badenoch, briefed Eurosceptic MPs in the European Research Group at a meeting on Monday.
Sources have confirmed the plan discussed at that meeting to slash the number of laws targeted by the bill, which is expected to return to the House of Lords on 15 May.
Any climbdown on the legislation tabled by Jacob Rees Mogg as a “Brexit freedoms” bill risked angering hardline Tory Brexiters but the depth of opposition to it from business, environmental groups, unions and Brussels has left ministers with no option but to consider a full-scale delay or a scaled-down version.
A government spokesperson said: “We remain committed to ensuring the retained EU law (REUL) bill receives royal assent and that the supremacy of EU law ends with unnecessary and burdensome EU laws removed by the end of this year.
“Once passed, the bill will enable the country to further seize the opportunities of Brexit by ensuring regulations fit the needs of the UK, helping to grow our economy and drive innovation.”
Among the 800 laws on the “to save list” are the working time directive, which protects working hours and environmental legislation.
Badenoch’s plan reportedly went down “like a lead balloon” at the meeting with the ERG, but sources said she told the MPs that it was the practical solution to getting
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