Labour is quietly pushing through the surreptitiously-named ‘Product Regulation and Metrology Bill’ – a framework bill light on detail but heavy on sweeping ministerial powers – that’s now at its report stage in the Lords. And opens the door for the UK to be swept back into EU standards and regulations…
The bill would allow the UK to align unilaterally with EU rules on product safety and environmental standards, bypassing Parliament through statutory instruments rather than primary legislation, meaning MPs won’t get a proper say, and won’t be able to amend or scrutinise any product regulations adopted. The bill is just 12 pages long, compared to the 191-page Employment Rights Bill…
Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith told Guido:
“This is a Trojan Horse EU Surrender Bill, giving Ministers unchecked power to drag us back into the European Union. This Government seems to be determined to give away our sovereignty in what is turning into an unashamedly anti-British tirade.”
The bill even includes a clause that could scrap the pint in favour of smaller glasses to align with EU-style metric measures. Starmer continues on his path to bring the UK back to Brussels…
Tom Baldwin, author of Starmer’s hagiography, spoke to Times Radio:
Tom Baldwin: “I think he’d like to do something. He’s very dutiful and driven by service. That’s why he came into politics. I think that’s characterised his time as prime minister. He hasn’t always sought popularity or been good at being popular. But I think he has some of the necessary qualities that we actually do want in a prime minister. That resilience, that relentlessness, that ability to carry the weight and the job really does weigh very heavily on people and he carries that weight very, very well.”
Jo Coburn: “NATO Secretary-General?”
Tom Baldwin: “I think that’s something that he would be interested in. I think it probably requires Andy Burnham’s government to support him in that and these are some of the questions which Andy Burnham has to resolve quite quickly.”