STUC on Brexit White Paper

February 2nd 2017

STUC on Brexit White Paper

February 2nd 2017

Commenting on the White Paper on Brexit Grahame Smith, Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) General Secretary said:

“While the paper itself makes little advancement on the Prime Minister’s speech, it does represent a recognition that Parliament must play a role in the negotiations and contains a commitment to involve the devolved Parliaments, which is to be welcomed. These commitments must be more than just lip service and proper Parliamentary scrutiny and debate must now take place. A genuine effort must also be made to include the priorities of the devolved Parliaments in the negotiations.

“It is difficult to give credence to the commitment to maintaining and advancing workers rights since it comes from a Government that passed the Trade Union Act and which seems intent on undermining workers job security by abandoning the single market, scraping the right to free movement, and removing the protection of the European Court of Justice.

“ There is also little prospect of a Government committed to the pursuit of a low tax, low regulation economy giving priority to the defence of workers’ rights and wider social protections in any free trade agreements it seeks to establish.”

ENDS

For further information contact Helen Martin 0141 337 8100 hmartin@stuc.org.uk