Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under pressure to ensure that the UK has a robust and comprehensive set of laws in place to protect the public from the potential impact of Brexit. In a recent interview, Johnson highlighted the difficulty of crafting such legislation as well as the need for caution when doing so.
Speaking to the BBC, the Prime Minister noted that any legislation crafted to navigate Brexit should be comprehensive in nature, yet not too broad to prevent it from becoming a ‘Christmas tree’ with each political party trying to ‘hang their own personal issues’ from it. Crucially, he highlighted the importance of ensuring that any new laws accurately supported the nation’s wider objectives in an optimum manner.
The idea is to transfer the well-defined rules laid down by the European Union and create a version that works for the UK while enabling the nation to build on what it has previously earned from Brussels – trade advantages and other economic benefits. Whether or not this is achievable is a point of contention among different groups, yet Johnson has called on all political sides to come together in order to craft a set of rules that are suitable for every sector, business, and resident.
In an address to the public, the Prime Minister stressed the need for greater collaboration among governments, businesses, and communities – both in the UK and overseas – and noted that, as a nation, Britain must avoid being “straight updated by Brussels” if it plans to thrive in the post-Brexit era. He further argued that the formal implementation of laws is only one part of the puzzle, noting that – in order to ensure a smooth transition which ultimately delivers real benefits – the UK also needs to focus on creating a collaborative system with global counterparts.
Ultimately, it is clear that the UK needs to create a set of rules that will not only meet the nation’s current objectives but also be flexible enough to navigate any changes in future. To achieve this, the government is now calling on members of the public for input into the process and Johnson has urged caution when creating the legislation, as attempting to overdraft legislation risks turning it into nothing more than a ‘Christmas tree’. As such, it is hoped that the Prime Minister can rely on the input of stakeholders and citizens alike, and that the UK can quickly create legislation which will serve the nation well in the long-term.