Labour blasted for 'avoiding scrutiny' on Brexit after 'stretching MP committee very thin'
Sir Keir Starmer has been accused on dodging scrutiny
PA
Scrutiny of Northern Ireland’s relationship with the EU will be handled by the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, GB News can exclusively reveal.
It is understood the Government feels that now the UK has left the EU, the European Scrutiny Committee has no clear function which is not carried out by other committees, so the Leader of the House has rescinded the standing order that was in place since 1973.
When asked how the relationship between Northern Ireland and the EU would be scrutinised, a Cabinet Office spokesman told GB News: “The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee would be the relevant committee.”
In response, former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Sir Brandon Lewis, warned: “I am surprised at this decision as that committee (European Scrutiny Committee) has a remit beyond NI alone. This implies Labour wants to either avoid full scrutiny on EU issues or is prepared to spread resources of NI committee very thinly.
Keir Starmer has been accused of wanting to cosy up to the EUPA“Neither of which does justice to the topics and ignores the true complexity of the issues of NI and its shared border.”
A second former Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers added: “They have only been in power for a few weeks and already they are running away from scrutiny.
"Scrapping the European Scrutiny Committee is a bad day for democratic accountability.
“Important issues related to Northern Ireland and the Windsor Framework still need to be resolved. Mr Starmer should not be scrapping the committee with the expertise to carry out oversight of these questions.”
There are concerns about the decision given that the new Government has said it wishes to reset its relationship with the EU.
On a visit to Scotland only days into his Premiership, Starmer stressed that he and his party were already working on building closer ties with the European Union.
The Prime Minister said: “Sir Keir said: "We intend to improve our relationship with the European Union, and that means closer trading ties with the EU, it means closer ties in relation to research and development and closer ties in relation to defence and security.”
DUP Chief Whip Sammy Wilson said: “This decision is most worrying at a time when the government has said it wishes to reset its relations with the EU.
"While there are still the outstanding issues of the NI protocol and its impact on the whole of the UK as well as Gibraltar and EU defence issues, there will be a mountain of work to be done in relation to the undoing of Brexit as far as it was ever achieved as the Government seeks to tie us into the EU again.
From the Government's announcement it is understood that various select committees may choose to scrutinise all aspects of the EU-UK relationship, but this has not quelled fears that Labour will break promises and take Britain back into the EU kicking and screaming.
Speaking to GB News, Wilson said: “This is a Government which is being exposed as breaking its promises as quickly as it made them. The cheaper electricity it promises has now been exposed as a lie. The no additional taxes it claimed would not be imposed are coming fast down the road, and the promise that it does not want to undo Brexit has been rebranded as resetting our relationship with the EU.
“The Government does not want that broken promise open to scrutiny, it’s bad enough that it has a massive majority that it can use to bulldoze changes through parliament. They are not content with that advantage, it is now removing the means whereby its actions can even be examined.
“We are facing a ruthless dictatorship which is going to change the face of the UK over the next five years, tearing up its manifesto in a most disgraceful way.”
Parliament is about to break for summer recess and committee Chairs and members will be selected after Parliament returns on September 2.