Five-point Brexit plan to protect workers and families

It is vital that the TUC has a central role in the coming years of Brexit negotiations and discussions, so we can protect the interests of working people and their families.

The TUC has published five tests that it is calling on the government to apply before triggering Article 50 to take the UK out of the European Union.

These tests will make sure that working people do not pay the price for the vote to leave the EU, and will help get a fair Brexit settlement for everyone in the UK.

The five tests are:

1. The government must have a clear action plan in place to protect jobs, industries and public services at risk from Brexit, and must guarantee all workers’ rights currently derived from the EU.

2. The government must have led a national debate on realistic options for post-Brexit arrangements with the rest of the EU and with non-EU countries, so as to build a national consensus on the mandate for negotiations.

3. There must be a cross-party negotiating team including the devolved administrations, the TUC, CBI and civil society.

4. Existing EU citizens living and working in the UK must be guaranteed the right to remain, and approaches made to secure reciprocal arrangements for British citizens living and working in the rest of the EU.

5. An all-Ireland agreement on economic and border issues must be in place.

The action plan to protect jobs and industry is the first priority, as the Bank of England has said that there are already signs of negative impacts following the vote. The TUC has published a report detailing the urgent steps that the government should take to stop Brexit leading to an economic downturn.

While economic action is the most urgent in terms of the immediate risks, the other tests are no less important. They will assure the British people that all parts of the UK and all parts of British society will have a say in arrangements for a post-EU future. They will reassure EU nationals who have made the UK their home. And they seek to protect the unique relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

How we plan for Brexit will affect people’s lives for many generations and for many governments to come.

Beth Farhat

Northern TUC Regional Secretary