A Tory MP has complained Brexit has meant there is less scrutiny of trade deals struck by the UK government than when the country was part of the European Union.
Jonathan Djanogly was appearing in the debate on the government’s trade bill where he warned that there must be “meaningful scrutiny” of future trade deals now that Brexit has happened.
He said that if the government were to fulfil their “take back control” mantra, they need to give MPs greater say.
He told MPs: “If we fail to do that, we will have to fall back on a pre-EU, 1920s-based system of allowing limited recourse to debates, whereby a trade deal can be delayed but not stopped and then only on ratification but not before signature.
He added: “As things stand, unbelievably, the UK shall have less legislative scrutiny of trade deals than when we were a member of the European Union.
“Surely that is not what taking back control was all about. The power of approval that was given to MEPs now needs to come back here to Parliament, not to be forgotten about by ministers.
“Having proper scrutiny votes will go towards establishing the UK as a modern, democratic, confident international trading nation”.
The remarks have been seized upon by pro-EU campaigners who claim it has exposed the “take back control” slogan as a sham.
Tim Pollard tweeted: “Says it all. Taking back control means let’s return to the days when there was minimal regulation on the environment, health and safety, workers rights, that sort of stuff, so a wealthy elite can get even richer.”
Gary Easton wrote: “It’s just tiring watching all these promises of taking back control being thrown out the second they can. This government holds parliament in contempt continually and ducks scrutiny when they can. How can anyone call this a good thing?”
Another wrote: “Penny drops for Tory MP. The control taken back was only ever destined to be wielded by the powerful, for the powerful.”
Most popular
Alastair Campbell’s Diary: Disappointing Greta Thunberg and a night out with the Kinnocks
Mandrake: Facing the fury of Nadine Dorries
