On Sunday 2nd October, Theresa May used her first leader’s speech at the Conservative Party Conference to announce that the Government would be invoking Article 50 in March 2017 which would mark the start of the two year process of leaving the EU. In these two years the Government will negotiate the terms under which the UK will leave the EU and the new relationship we will have with the single market, immigration and shared law with the rest of the European Union.
The BSIF welcome the Prime Minister’s speech for providing clarity on the timescale of withdrawal, ending some of the uncertainty surrounding the process. This came at a time when businesses in the UK need a good level of stability and certainty over the nature of the UK’s withdrawal and the effects it will have on the wider economy. A timetable for this process is a welcome beginning.
While understanding the complexities of negotiations, we believe it is essential that the Government continue to be as transparent as possible regarding its plan for both the Brexit negotiations and our new relationship with the EU. The BSIF hope that this speech is the beginning of a clear plan for this process. As the Trade Body for Great Britain’s Safety Industry, we are very pleased by the Prime Minister’s promise to consult fully with businesses and believe that the it is imperative that all deals have the interests of British business and jobs at their heart.
We are also pleased that the Prime Minister has pledged to not only protect the current standard of worker’s rights but that these rights will be “enhanced”. Britain leads the world in the levels of Occupational Safety and Health outcomes and it is of crucial importance that the Government protect current standards. The BSIF will continue to work with both our members and organisations across the Government to ensure that British standards are the best in the world and we welcome the Government’s commitment to do the same.