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In contrast to Starmer's reported comments in the @guardian interview, Labour clearly do have ambitions to improve the Brexit deal. They're laying 9 amendments today on issues including SIS II, economic impact, employment and environmental standards and Erasmus.
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None of them will pass - the Tories have an 80 seat majority - but that's not the point. They reflect Labour's starting position on improving the deal and deepening our relationship with the EU - a welcome sign of things to come.
Amendments follow /2
Amendments follow
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1. Economic impact assessments
'The Secretary of State must publish biannual economic impact assessments setting out the impact of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement on all sectors of the economy in UK nations and English regions, together with the Government’s response'
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'The Secretary of State must publish biannual economic impact assessments setting out the impact of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement on all sectors of the economy in UK nations and English regions, together with the Government’s response'
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2. Access to the Schengen Information System - SIS II
Asking for the Govt to negotiate access to SIS II within six months, or an equivalent system is access is refused.
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Asking for the Govt to negotiate access to SIS II within six months, or an equivalent system is access is refused.
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3. Proposed divergence on employment and environmental standards
Requiring the Govt to report on any alteration to UK employment or environmental standards which would trigger the rebalancing mechanism deal, and to hold a Parliamentary debate.
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Requiring the Govt to report on any alteration to UK employment or environmental standards which would trigger the rebalancing mechanism deal, and to hold a Parliamentary debate.
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4. Erasmus
Requiring the Govt to negotiate participation in Erasmus.
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Requiring the Govt to negotiate participation in Erasmus.
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5. Performers’ and artists’ permits
Requiring the Govt to negotiate a mechanism for performing artists and support staff to display or perform their work in European Union member states.
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Requiring the Govt to negotiate a mechanism for performing artists and support staff to display or perform their work in European Union member states.
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6. Trade and Cooperation Agreement Partnership Council: duty to report to Parliament
Requiring the Govt to report on the activities of the Partnership Council twice a year.
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Requiring the Govt to report on the activities of the Partnership Council twice a year.
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7. Support and information for businesses
Requiring the Govt to within the next month pass a report containing the Government’s plans for the provision of support for (a) business and (b) jobs to facilitate the implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
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Requiring the Govt to within the next month pass a report containing the Government’s plans for the provision of support for (a) business and (b) jobs to facilitate the implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
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The above are all proposed by Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner, Rachel Reeves, Paul Blomfield and other leading Labour MPs. Then there are two more from Ian Murray as follows.
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8. Power of devolved governments to join Erasmus+ programme
Granting the right of devolved Govts to join Erasmus.
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Granting the right of devolved Govts to join Erasmus.
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9. Access to EU financial services markets
Requiring the Govt by the end of Feb 2021 to set out proposals to allow the financial services sector full access to EU markets. Proposals must aim to achieve access to EU markets as close to a passporting regime as possible.
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Requiring the Govt by the end of Feb 2021 to set out proposals to allow the financial services sector full access to EU markets. Proposals must aim to achieve access to EU markets as close to a passporting regime as possible.
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This goes far beyond 'the deal is fine let's move on', which is the headline from the Guardian interview. Either Starmer's been misreported or he chose to play down the extent to which Labour wants to amend and improve the deal.
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This should provide encouragement to those of us who are aghast at the severity and inadequacy of Johnson's Brexit, and who hope and expect Labour to not only rebuild our relationship with Europe once in power, but make the case for doing so as damage kicks in from next week.
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