Sub-national government can only watch and wait as Brexit grows nearer

Brexit negotiations are conducted in London and Brussels. With so much uncertainty about the final shape of any Brexit deal, and no clear immigration policy yet, local and sub-national government is finding it very hard to plan, writes Tony Travers (LSE). The trade deals the government hopes to do will affect regions in different ways – but none can be done until after Britain has left. Perhaps there is an opportunity for a less centralised version of the UK to emerge from the current uncertainty.

Further information

The Local Government Association announced on the 20 March 2018 that it had secured an important victory in the Brexit negotiating process with the UK Government agreeing that, once the UK exited the EU, a process would be established to consult local government on matters they would have been consulted on formerly through the EU Committee of the Regions.

The agreement was secured during the discussion on the 20 March 2018 in the House of Lords on the committee stage of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill.

In a LGIU report issued in October 2018 the author said there were four critical issues for local government in terms of Brexit:

+ how has local government been involved in Brexit negotiations
+ European funding
+ the future public sector workforce
+ devolution and subsidiarity.

• Primary Source

UK in a Changing Europe: Blog, 26.03.18: Five reasons our domestic response to Brexit needs to be local http://ukandeu.ac.uk/five-reasons-our-domestic-response-to-brexit-needs-to-be-local/

Blog: UK in a Changing Europe, 18.03.18: Where should decisions be made after Brexit? http://ukandeu.ac.uk/where-should-decisions-be-made-after-brexit/

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

United Kingdom: House of Commons: Library: Briefing Paper No.7664 (20.07.16): Brexit and local government http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-and-local-government/

Greater London Authority, 2018: Preparing for Brexit http://www.europeansources.info/record/preparing-for-brexit/

Wales Centre for Public Policy: Report, 2018: Sub-national Government Involvement in International Trade Negotiations. Evidence review http://www.europeansources.info/record/sub-national-government-involvement-in-international-trade-negotiations-evidence-review/

Local Government Association: Topic: Brexit https://www.local.gov.uk/topics/european-and-international/brexit

LGA: News, 20.03.18: Government agrees to consultative rights for local government post Brexit https://www.local.gov.uk/about/news/lga-government-agrees-consultative-rights-local-government-post-brexit

UK: Parliament: House of Commons: Committees: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee: Brexit and Local Government inquiry https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/communities-and-local-government-committee/inquiries/parliament-2017/brexit-local-authority-inquiry-17-19/

The Conversation, 05.11.18: Mayors could be a guiding light in post-Brexit Britain, but they’ll need greater powers https://theconversation.com/mayors-could-be-a-guiding-light-in-post-brexit-britain-but-theyll-need-greater-powers-106132

Local Government Chronicle, 23.10.18: Mayors call for post-Brexit decentralisation https://www.lgcplus.com/politics/governance-and-structure/mayors-call-for-post-brexit-decentralisation/7026466.article

Local Government Chronicle, 08.10.18: Northern mayors lead call for control of post-Brexit funding https://www.lgcplus.com/politics/devolution-and-economic-growth/northern-mayors-lead-call-for-control-of-post-brexit-funding/7026265.article?search=https%3a%2f%2fwww.lgcplus.com%2fsearcharticles%3fqsearch%3d1%26keywords%3dshared+prosperity

The Guardian, 01.08.18: Local council plans for Brexit disruption and unrest revealed https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/aug/01/local-council-plans-for-brexit-disruption-and-unrest-revealed

LGIU: Report, October 2018: Brexit and local government – the story so far https://www.lgiu.org.uk/report/brexit-and-local-government-the-story-so-far/

LGUI: Tag: Brexit https://www.lgiu.org.uk/category/brexit/?show=all

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