Thread by @RobertCPalmer13

[Thread]

Want to know what's really the driver behind the 'Great Brexit Con Job'?

Clearly stopping billionaires avoiding tax & removing the regulations that bind them is key but the abrogation of rights & fundamental freedoms stands out the most. /1

@abcpoppins @acgrayling

https://twitter.com/Teri_Kanefield/status/1070708168949346304

The issue of rights has often taken a backseat in the Brexit debate, this thread argues that removing rights is what’s really behind Brexit.

Removing the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is key to the operation & is essentially the abrogation of rights by stealth. /2

The Charter enshrines certain political, social, and economic rights for EU citizens into EU law and has the same legal status as the TEU & TFEU - it is a primary source of law (like an Act of Parliament). It grants stand-alone rights that don’t otherwise exist in the UK. /3

The Charter has 7 Chapters that confers the rights & freedoms of EU citizens that we won't have w/o it. Many are unique to the Charter:

C1: Dignity
C2: Freedoms
C3: Equility
C4: Solidarity
C5: Citizens rights
C6: Justice
C7: General provs

/4

see europarl.europa.eu/charter/pdf/te…

There are numerous rights & freedoms that we all hope to take for granted that will vanish if we lose the Charter, here are some examples:

Equality between men & women
The rights of the child
Protection from unjustified dismissal
Fair & just working conditions
Health care

/5

Removing the Charter from UK domestic law is serious when we understand that May (& Cameron before her) are intent on repealing the HRA. This will mean the ECHR will no longer apply to Brits & we will no longer have a document to look at that describes our rights. /6

This is because the UK is only 1 of 3 countries in the world w/o a codified (written) constitution that sets out and/or protects fundamental rights & freedoms of citizens or the duties of the government to its citizens.

We will be at the whim of politicians & judical review /7

6 concerns arise from the loss of the Charter:

Less power to protect rights
Less flexibility to create new rights & reflect change
Lower level of protection for fundamental rights
Creating gaps in basic HRs
Losing the Charter principles
Legal uncertainty and confusion

/8

Now, I have not seen a single news report in the mainstream media that identifies the fact that UK citizens will be practically rightless post-Brexit; w/o a document that describes our entitlements we are in serious trouble - the floodgates will be opened for rights abuses. /9

IMO it's time to widely share what we stand to lose. I know that the economy & NHS etc. are serious concerns for UK citizens but our rights underpin who we are & how we live, work & love.

Rights are the foundation for a fair & civilised society.

Want to lose them? No! /10