“I don’t do Politics”

Funny how often you hear the phrase, “I don’t do politics”. Understandable if you believe that ‘politics’ is the childish braying and shenanigans that feature in the House of Commons, particularly at Prime Minister’s Questions. But politics is everywhere.

A historical perspective

It is politics (and regulation) that brought us from the Dickensian world of the workhouse, slavery, child labour, poor education, contaminated water, adulterated food, ill health and disease, to the world that we see today.

The reason children can go to school every day and receive an education which leads to a career and a happy life is because political campaigners fought for it. Similarly, it is only because of the Suffragette fight that all adult women may vote. That’s without touching on the regulations and laws that we now have to protect workers, wildlife, the environment, animal husbandry, health care, food and water quality.

And no less true today

Recent events show we must remain vigilant that these hard fought-for rights are not taken away from us. It took until 1948 before the NHS was founded, and yet, its increasing privatisation by stealth suggests in less than 100 years, free health care may be gone.

Then, there is the Government legalising the dumping of raw sewage rather than enforcing water companies to take steps not to contaminate our rivers. Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said that over the course of 2020/21, raw sewage was dumped into Britain’s rivers and seas more than 770,000 times.

Furthermore, the Supreme Court is currently hearing a case which, if lost, risks leaving private citizens unable to sue water companies for unauthorised discharges of sewage into rivers. So, soon we may see erosion of our rights to prevent river pollution.

The Retained EU Law (REUL)

Perhaps more concerning is The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill being debated in the House of Lords and expected to become law in April / May 2023.

The Bill will give powers to Ministers to amend, retain or revoke thousands of pieces of retained EU law that provide protections to us all in almost every aspect of our lives. But, and it’s a big but, the Bill also introduces a ‘sunset’ date at the end of 2023, after which laws that are not specifically ‘saved’ by Ministers will lapse. Or, put another way, a huge part of 40 years of legislation and regulation could disappear, irrespective of whether they are actually still very valid in our post-Brexit world.

Given the UK was almost certainly participant in writing much of the estimated over 4000 pieces of EU legislation, is the Bill nothing more than fervent ideology? If ever there is an example of throwing the baby out with bath water, it’s the Retained EU Law Bill.

The importance of protective laws

So, is it any wonder that the consumer group Which, The Wildlife Trusts, numerous environmental groups, amongst others, are very worried about the practicality, and sense, of trying to consider over 4000 pieces of legislation, and decide whether to retain, reform, reject or rewrite.

The Food Standards Agency alone have identified over 800 pieces of Retained EU Law that encompass food and animal feed standards, food composition, labelling, and GM products. They state that it will take until June 2026 to complete their assessment; and this is just one sector. Imagine the cost to the taxpayer purse and manpower to do this. Then, consider whether your taxpayer money would be better spent investing in the NHS, schools, infrastructure or social care. What do you want?

Sadly, it seems to be a fact of life that without regulation and laws, we are at the mercy of exploitation and greed for the benefit of the few and their short-term profits. If huge swathes of protective legislation vanish, is our destiny a return to Dickensian times?

The Illegal Migration Bill

The preface of the Illegal Migration Bill indicates our government is very willing to ignore international laws that protect our human rights.

Are you really willing to ignore politics and tacitly assist politicians flout a treaty which the United Kingdom helped draft and ratify in 1951? And if this bill passes into UK law due to the political controversy over small boat migrants, will this set a precedent to allow future legislation to trample on other human rights that UK citizens themselves need?

Know what’s important to you?

With the upcoming Retained EU Law, the Illegal Migration Bill, and May elections, albeit primarily Council elections, perhaps now is the time to rethink whether you do actually do politics. And to consider how you want to live, what is best for your family, what is best for your community and the country as a whole. Then, use your voice to write to your MP, and your vote to build the future life you want.