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| Brexit white paper: key points explained | Brexit white paper: key points explained |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A day after parliament voted overwhelmingly to give Theresa May the power to trigger article 50, the government presented MPs with its formal policy paper setting out how the UK proposes to leave the EU. | A day after parliament voted overwhelmingly to give Theresa May the power to trigger article 50, the government presented MPs with its formal policy paper setting out how the UK proposes to leave the EU. |
| Here are the key points of the Brexit white paper, which essentially builds and expands on May’s Lancaster House speech last month: | Here are the key points of the Brexit white paper, which essentially builds and expands on May’s Lancaster House speech last month: |
| Great repeal bill and control of UK laws | Great repeal bill and control of UK laws |
| The paper says the government will bring forward a separate white paper on the great repeal bill. | The paper says the government will bring forward a separate white paper on the great repeal bill. |
| This is legislation first announced by May in her Conservative party conference speech last year that will remove the European Communities Act of 1972 from the UK statute book and convert the body of existing EU law into British domestic law. | This is legislation first announced by May in her Conservative party conference speech last year that will remove the European Communities Act of 1972 from the UK statute book and convert the body of existing EU law into British domestic law. |
| The paper confirms that “wherever practical and appropriate”, the same rules and laws will apply in the UK on the day after it leaves the EU as did before. | The paper confirms that “wherever practical and appropriate”, the same rules and laws will apply in the UK on the day after it leaves the EU as did before. |
| It also confirms that the government intends “take control of our own laws”, which will mean “bringing to an end the jurisdiction of the European court of justice in the UK” and establishing a new mechanism for resolving future disputes between the UK and the EU. | It also confirms that the government intends “take control of our own laws”, which will mean “bringing to an end the jurisdiction of the European court of justice in the UK” and establishing a new mechanism for resolving future disputes between the UK and the EU. |
| The union and Ireland | The union and Ireland |
| The paper says the government will “work with the devolved administrations on an approach to returning powers from the EU that works for the whole of the UK and reflects the interests of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales” but does not go into specifics. | The paper says the government will “work with the devolved administrations on an approach to returning powers from the EU that works for the whole of the UK and reflects the interests of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales” but does not go into specifics. |
| It also promises that no decisions currently taken by the devolved administrations will be taken away from them, and indeed that more decisions will be devolved (it does not say which). And it says it will pay particular attention to the Isle of Man, Channel Islands and Gibraltar, all of which have unique relationships with the EU. | It also promises that no decisions currently taken by the devolved administrations will be taken away from them, and indeed that more decisions will be devolved (it does not say which). And it says it will pay particular attention to the Isle of Man, Channel Islands and Gibraltar, all of which have unique relationships with the EU. |
| On the island of Ireland and the common travel area with the UK, the paper notes the UK and Irish economies are “deeply integrated” and says the government will work to “develop and strengthen” those ties after Brexit. | On the island of Ireland and the common travel area with the UK, the paper notes the UK and Irish economies are “deeply integrated” and says the government will work to “develop and strengthen” those ties after Brexit. |
| It says it aims to retain “as seamless and frictionless a border as possible” between Northern Ireland and the Republic, and wants Irish and UK citizens to be able to continue to move freely north-south and east-west, “while protecting the integrity of the UK’s immigration system”. Again, it does not say how. | |
| Immigration and reciprocal citizens’ rights | |
| On the rights of EU nationals living in the UK and vice versa, the white paper goes no further than May’s speech. It says securing their status is “one of this government’s early priorities for the forthcoming negotiations” and reiterates that “the UK remains ready to give people the certainty they want … at the earliest opportunity”. | |
| It says it is consulting with expatriate groups abroad and EU businesses and other groups “to ensure we understand their priorities”, and it says it “recognises the priority placed on easy access to healthcare by UK nationals living in the EU” – a key concern of many, particularly pensioners. | |
| On controlling immigration, the paper says the government is “considering very carefully” the options open to it and working to “understand the impacts on the different sectors of the economy and the labour market”. | |
| It says businesses and communities will be able to contribute their views, and suggests – for the first time – that “there may be a phased process of implementation”, to give companies and individuals time to plan and prepare. | |
| It says EU students can continue to come and study, in the short term at least, but says nothing about future access for EU workers. It also says workers’ rights under EU law will be preserved after Brexit. |