UK Gov announces "new" measures on #Uyghur #forcedlabour, notes "real risk" of UK businesses sourcing from suppliers which are "complicit":

1. Guidance to UK business
2. Strengthening Modern Slavery Act
3. MSA extended to the public sector
4. Export controls

/THREAD

As commented previously,#2 and #3 are changes previously announced as wider changes to the Modern Slavery Act, and they will do little to meaningfully address these abuses https://twitter.com/chloe_cranston/status/1348396918913830915

Changes to the Modern Slavery Act do not *legally require* companies to take action and prevent abuses. @lisanandy notes the UK must follow step w/ developments in France and EU to introduce stronger legislation making companies legally liable for abuses in supply chains. #mHRDD

Export controls & guidance to UK biz are, however, new and welcome steps. I have not seen the guidance yet, but it sounds similar to US Gov guidance from *July 2020*. Vital that UK Gov gives UK biz a clear message that business must end *all* sourcing & links to Uyghur Region.

Although these are welcome, it is disappointing the UK Gov has not gone further. We need:

1. Laws holding UK companies accountable for abuses in supply chains
2. Import controls blocking all products made in whole/in part from Uyghur Region
3. Strong foreign policy measures

Most significantly, the UK gov should not hide behind tepid improvements to the Modern Slavery Act, and pretend this is meaningful action to end #Uyghur #forcedlabour. See @Anti_Slavery @corecoalition on why such changes will have little impact https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/13183/pdf/

Overall, the steps announced do not make UK biz compelled to end #Uyghur #forcedlabour in their value chains.

Guidance is just guidance, & although welcome, does not compel action.

The MSA is just a reporting requirement.

Export controls announced are limited to a review.

To end:

Message to UK biz: weak steps from the UK Gov are not an excuse for business complacency. Any responsible biz must take all steps to end potential profiteering from Uyghur #forcedlabour. @marksandspencer has committed to do so, the rest can too. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55555270