You will recall that Church leaders, and over 2000 supporters, signed a letter to the Prime Minister on 24 July asking that he publish evidence of how those who are most vulnerable will be protected in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
It took over two months, but we have finally received a response from 10 Downing Street. You can read this here.
This reply came only after over 100 supporters also then wrote to their MPs, asking them to press the Prime Minister for a response. This is a great example of the impact of people power.
The Prime Minister’s reply goes into some detail regarding plans and preparations being made for Brexit, specifically detailing supply chain concerns. However, the letter’s only reference to those held back by poverty – the centre of our concerns – is in reference to the topic of our initial correspondence and a single line commitment to ‘providing support for those who need it most’.
The Prime Minister’s response does not help us to understand:
- Who will need support as a consequences of the changes a no-deal Brexit would provoke;
- What kind of support will be required;
- What the government plans to do in order to mitigate the potential risks of a no-deal Brexit to those locked in poverty.
The government chose not to address these concerns expressed in our initial correspondence. It is likely that parliament will try and seek this information over the coming weeks, as they pursue clarity over Brexit plans.
Our fear remains that the government has not been able to respond to these questions because they do not yet have sufficient answers.
If this is the case, the government is at risk of proposing a policy which fails to consider the welfare and safety of the poorest citizens and communities in the UK. It is hard to square this with their claims to ‘provide support for those who need it most’.
What can we do next to continue raising these concerns?
- Please encourage your MP to continue asking for assessments to examine the risks of a no-deal Brexit on the poorest citizens and communities in the UK, and the steps taken to mitigate these risks. You can ask that they continue to ask that the government urgently publishes its current evidence of the impact of a no-deal Brexit on disadvantaged communities.
- Sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date with our work in this area, or visit www.jpit.org.uk/brexit to see some assembled resources to read, study and support prayer.
If you contact your MP further about this issue and receive a response, please let us know by emailing enquiries@jpit.uk.
