New: Fleur Anderson MP calls for ‘Brexit scrutiny’ in Westminster debate over impact of leaving Europe 

Labour MP for Putney Fleur Anderson has said that the Government must scrutinise the impact of Brexit on a multisector, regional basis in order that ‘course correction’ can be immediately be enacted. 

The Putney MP argued that the impact of Brexit on business, schools, environmental standards, the food industry, financial services, the creative industry and the NHS must be researched in order that a   

Fleur Anderson MP said:  

“The Government cannot run from scrutiny of Brexit forever. The public demand answers, hard facts and thorough and detailed analysis of the ways in which Brexit is impacting our country, and how we can fix it. It is no secret that I was a huge opponent of Brexit – now I am calling for this Conservative Government to course correct the most serious impacts of Brexit. The public demand answers.”  

Fleur Anderson MP spoke in a Westminster Hall debate on April 24^th, triggered by a petition which had reached 180,000 signatures, calling for Government analysis of how Brexit is impacting on trade, the economy, opportunities for young people and how it has affected the rights of individuals.  

The debate came on the day it was widely reported that the number of UK Chief Executives quitting their jobs had doubled, as bosses battle sluggish growth and the nightmare of EU red tape.  

Fleur Anderson MP continued:  

“We need to know the impact because of the enormous political cost to our country of the Brexit debate. Big promises were made to voters before the referendum. Are those promises being delivered? We need to disentangle the impact of Brexit from that of covid, the energy crisis, the cost of living crisis and Ukraine, so that any problems that we face as a country cannot be written off as consequences of them. Then there is the impact on the workforce. Many EU citizens who have left were key workers, and the backbone of our public services. Labour keeps asking about and exposing the impact on working people – the Government must answer our questions.”  

The Borough of Wandsworth voted 75% in favour of remaining in the European Union in the 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union.  

Due to the multiple factors at play, including the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine, campaigners say the impact of Brexit must not be lost in analysis of economic movement in the UK.  

The International Monetary Fund forecasts that the UK’s will be the only economy to shrink, whilst the Office for Budget Responsibility concluded that Brexit will reduce long-run productivity by 4%.  

Fleur Anderson MP said:  

“Whilst I agree with the spirit of the petition – demanding that we disentangle and properly address the consequences of Brexit on our country – I do not believe we need a Government inquiry. It should not take an inquiry to force the Government to be transparent with the facts. We need a better, clearer, independent assessment of the reality of the situation in order that we can reflect and fix our country’s current path. If this Conservative Government won’t do it, a Labour Government in-waiting is prepared to tell Britain the truth about Brexit and how we fix this mess.” 

You can watch Fleur’s speech in full here or read the speech here.