Brexit: UK plan to remove EU law sparks nations' anger

The government has set out a plan to overhaul "outdated" EU laws copied over after Brexit - a move it says will cut £1bn of red tape for businesses.

Downing Street said a Brexit Freedoms Bill will change how Parliament can amend or remove thousands of EU-era regulations that remain in force.

Boris Johnson said the move would "unleash the benefits of Brexit" and make British business more competitive.

But the plan was criticised by the devolved administrations.

A source said Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish ministers believe the plans undermine the devolution settlement.

They added that a meeting between the Attorney General Suella Braverman and devolved ministers on Saturday was "last-minute, fractious, and cack-handed".

The Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution Angus Robertson said: "This makes a mockery of the UK government's recent commitment to reset relationships with the devolved governments."

And Mick Antoniw, the Welsh Minister for the Constitution, said the UK government was driving a "coach and horses through the concept of mutual consent".

The UK government said it would "continue to work closely with the devolved administrations".

The UK copied over the laws to smooth its exit from the EU on 31 January 2020, and kept them during a transition period that ended in January 2021.

Since September, the government has been reviewing which of these it wants to keep in place, ditch or amend.

Under Brexit withdrawal legislation passed in 2018, retained EU laws have a legal status of their own - and a special process for changing them.

In an announcement for the two-year anniversary of the UK's exit from the EU, No 10 said its new bill would ensure changes can be made more easily.

The prime minister said: "The plans we have set out today will further unleash the benefits of Brexit and ensure that businesses can spend more of their money investing, innovating and creating jobs."

Ms Braverman said: "This work is key to us taking charge of our regained sovereignty which the British people voted for in 2016 and 2019."

The government has not set out which EU laws it intends to change, but said it would promote a "distinctive approach" to UK law, with a focus on promoting new technologies.

But there was anger after the changes were discussed with the devolved nations on Saturday.

Mr Robertson said: "Within days of the UK government promising more respectful ways of working, we were informed of what is clearly a rushed exercise over the weekend with nothing more than a vague verbal briefing.

"If these proposals involve changing the law in devolved policy areas, then pressing ahead without the consent of the Scottish Parliament would demonstrate yet again the UK government's intent to undermine devolution."

While in Wales, Mr Antoniw said: "The government has been unable to provide assurances that it's plans for future changes in dealing with 'retained' EU law would not affect the devolution settlement."

A UK government spokesperson said: "We continue to work closely with the devolved administrations to ensure that a common approach can be taken where powers and law have returned from the EU which intersect with policy areas that fall within devolved competence.

"The details of the bill will be brought forward in due course. Our objective is to make it easier to amend or remove outdated EU law which is no longer right for the UK and end its special status in our legal framework."

Meanwhile, Labour criticised ministers for not using Brexit to scrap VAT on energy bills, which had to be at least 5% in the EU.

Shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry said the public "overwhelmingly support" the change, adding: "It is time the government started listening."