Everyone will be tired of hearing about Brexit by the time Britain decouples from the European Union in March 2019.
Table of contents
Brexit polarises opinion but is also the biggest political upheaval for decades that will infiltrate everyone’s life in some way.
Leaving the EU has already impacted on law-making in Britain and will pervade every aspect of Parliamentary business for years to come.
Because of Brexit, Westminster has seen the lowest throughput of new legislation for two decades.
According to news agency Reuters, 1,642 regulations were introduced in 2016 – a 29% reduction on 2015 and the lowest number since 1997.
Pressure on flagship policies
And far from any new government winning the General Election vote on June 8 putting in to place proposed flagship policies, the time of MPS will be spent poring through the statute book and revising new British laws for a seamless transition in March 2019, when EU laws are no longer applicable in the UK.
Legal experts suggest the government will have to draft, debate, amend and pass at least 15 new acts to reshape the UK legal system.
MPs will have to scrutinise four decades of EU regulations to sift the contents to consider if they should be kept, repealed or amended for Brexit.
“The reality is that Brexit eclipses so many other legislative priorities, and will do for years to come,” said Daniel Greenberg, who advises on domestic legislation to the House of Commons.
Finding the time
The questions for parties contesting General Election 2017 are not just how much policies cost and where the money is coming from, but how will they find the time over the next five-year Parliament to enact their promises.
The aftermath of Brexit will no doubt involve legal work continuing well after March 2019.
“The last government slowed down on legislative activity ahead of the vote, and now the decision has been taken to leave the EU, only the more favoured non-Brexit related issues are going to see significant legislative attention,” said Greenberg.
Other Brexit issues that need considering are the cost of changing so many laws and which policies to axe from manifestos to free the time in Parliament.
Related Articles, Guides and Insights
Below is a list of some related articles, guides and insights that you may find of interest.
Questions or Comments?
We love to get feedback from our readers. So, after reading this article, if you have any questions or want to make comments, send us a message on this site or our social media?
Don’t forget that you can also request the guides sent directly to your email inbox.