This Week in Westminster: Brexit deadlock continues

by Olaf Stando
Posted on
6 years ago
3 min read
25/01/1911:30am

MPs returned to their constituencies, fighting to save vital bank and post office branches

Communities up and down Scotland, especially those who are elderly and most disadvantaged, will be negatively affected by the continuing closure of banks and post offices.

Earlier this year, following the SNP’s huge pressure and nationwide days of action, RBS announced a reprieve for 10 local branches – but the fight to save our local banks and post offices continues.

We believe in people before profit, and our MPs are standing up against scheduled or planned closures in their constituencies.

24/01/195:30pm

Scottish Tories let their mask slip again on devolution, after they said they would block involvement of the Scottish Government in future negotiations in the EU

Listing the broken promises of the Better Together would take up more space than this whole article. Do you remember when we were promised a ‘partnership of equals’ in a union in which we should ‘lead, not leave’?

The whole Brexit process clearly highlighted these statements as a pure sham.
This reckless Tory government has repeatedly ridden roughshod over Scotland’s will and interest, and to add to that, the group of Scottish Tory MPs claimed they would block any attempts to include the Scottish Government in future negotiations with the EU.

David Linden questioned the Brexit minister on these remarks, but his answer was almost as ridiculous as the remarks.

23/01/196:30pm

Nicola Sturgeon urged Theresa May to drop her Brexit red lines, but the PM was in no mood for listening

Despite suffering a calamitous defeat in Parliament last week, Theresa May still does not appear to appreciate the scale of that defeat.
Despite promising a ‘Plan B’, she is not offering anything fundamentally different to the failed Plan A, and is refusing to drop her red lines, out of fear of alienating the hard-right Brexiteer faction in her party.

After meeting the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street, Nicola Sturgeon said that Theresa May did not appear interested in compromising.
As the no-deal cliff edge gets ever closer, her refusal to rule out no-deal or even consider extending Article 50 is astonishing, and seems like the height of irresponsibility.

22/01/191:00pm

Dr Philippa Whitford lead calls for Universal Credit reforms to prevent domestic abuse

Among the many faults of Universal Credit, not least the shambolic roll-out which lead thousands of families into food banks, the payments are made to a single household bank account, rather than individuals.

This makes it easier for perpetrators of domestic abuse to exert financial control, which can leave victims isolated and trapped in an abusive relationship.

Dr Philippa Whitford MP has led the campaign to introduce separate payments, which would give women more financial independence and help protect victims of domestic abuse.

21/01/192:30pm

Following SNP pressure, the UK government caves in and scraps the Ā£65 registration fee for EU citizens

Since the Brexit referendum, the rhetoric and actions of the Tory government have made many EU citizens feel unwelcome.

After the EU citizens have been treated as a bargaining chip in the EU negotiations, the Windrush scandal and the Home Office’s ‘hostile environment’ policies, the UK government proposed a Ā£65 fee for EU citizens to apply for settled status – a scheme that would guarantee their residency after Brexit.

We firmly believe that charging EU citizens to stay in their own homes is wrong, and following passionate calls from SNP MPs and civil society groups, the UK government was forced to scrap the Ā£65 fee.

However, we believe it should go even further: the principle of having to apply implies that some EU citizens might be rejected, and the registration scheme should be ditched altogether.