Brexit round-up – 17/01/20
17th January, 2020
Welcome to this, our latest Brexit round-up. Each week we provide a succinct round-up of the latest news surrounding the Brexit process, so you can keep abreast of the issues which are likely to affect your organisation.
Government rejects second independence referendum for Scotland
Following a formal request from Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon last month for the UK Government to transfer powers, known as a Section 30 order, to the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh so they could ensure any referendum was legal, Boris Johnson has formally rejected the request for a second independence referendum noting that it had previously pledged that the 2014 referendum would be a “once in a generation” vote. In the 2014 referendum Scottish voters voted to remain in the UK by 55%. Ms Sturgeon has now said that the Scottish Government would set out its response and “next steps” before the end of the month and that Scottish Parliament would again be asked to “back Scotland’s right to choose our own future.” Ms Sturgeon said the decision “shows utter contempt for the votes, views and interests of the people of Scotland and it is a strategy that is doomed to failure.”
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Leo Varadkar calls for common minimum standard in Brexit negotiations
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has met with the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on her visit to Ireland this week and has called for “a level playing field” in the Brexit negotiations and said the next step is to negotiate a free trade agreement between the UK and EU. Ms von der Leyden said there’s “almost no other country in the European Union” more affected by Brexit than Ireland and that the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland were “one of our top priorities” during the withdrawal negotiations.
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Angela Merkel says Europe needs to up its game
Angela Merkel has said in an interview that Brexit is “wake-up call” for the EU and that they needed to become more “attractive, innovative, creative, a good place for research and education” as the UK will emerge as an economic competitor after it leaves the EU. She has called on the remaining EU leaders to make Europe more competitive to meet the challenge of Brexit, as well as economic heavyweights such as the US and China saying “with the departure of Great Britain, a potential competitor will of course emerge for us. That is to say, in addition to China and the United States of America, there will be Great Britain as well.”
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If you have any questions about any of the issues which are raised, or would like to discuss your own organisation’s options in the lead-up to Brexit, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Please note that this briefing is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.
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