Motion no: 23
That this conference expresses reiterates its opposition to a Tory Hard Brexit which threatens a devastating impact on workers, women and those from migrant communities.
While a Hard Brexit threatens to affect Northern Ireland workers directly, the form our future trading arrangements take will shape the economic future of everyone on these islands.
We are deeply concerned that the Conservative government has voted themselves sweeping and unaccountable ‘Henry the Eighth’ powers which will allow them to jettison those aspects of EU law that stand in the way of their agenda of undermining workers’ civil and human rights, workplace legislation and environmental protections. Those workers’ rights and protections which have been delivered under the ECHR and ECJ determinations must be enshrined in legislation and the authority for further improvement devolved fully to the regional Assemblies and Parliaments. Those working and living in the United Kingdom who have migrated here from other parts of the EU must have their rights vindicated and enshrined in law.
Future arrangements must ensure the retention of the rights and entitlements of the Common Travel Area between these islands and be in full compliance with the terms of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, in particular the commitment to foster the allisland economy. We express our opposition to the imposition of the dangerous and economically destructive agenda either of a hard border being erected on the island of Ireland or between Ireland and the UK. Agreement on a customs union with the EU is the best way to avoid the threat posed by a hard border to our economy and wider society.
Post-Brexit trading arrangements must guarantee tariff-free movement of goods and services from the UK to the EU, and between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland – safeguarding jobs and delivering economic and political security for all.
