We've been picking over Johnson's latest misleading statements. We've found 6 new porkies and 6 new fishy promises - from yesterday alone. Here's a thread exposing them. 1/
He said “there can be no regression” from the rights workers currently enjoy. Not true. WAB merely says government must tell MPs if workers are going to lose their rights. See Schedule 5A, Part 1, Clause (1)(b) 2/
PM added the government will give time for an "amendable" motion if EU improves social protection. False. The motion isn’t amendable. (Schedule 5A, Part 2, Clause 5(a)). 3/
Johnson said on Northern Ireland "default position is alignment with the UK". Untrue. Default position is alignment with the EU. ( Article 18, para 5 of the revised Irish protocol). 4/
He claimed: “There are no checks GB-NI." Uh-oh. Government’s own impact assessment says: Goods moving fromGB to NI will have to "complete both import declarations and Entry Summary (ENS) Declarations This will result in additional admin costs to businesses.” (See para 241.) 5/
PM added there was “absolutely no provision for the EU to have a say” on whether NI leaves arrangements. False. Revised protocol says: “Any subsequent agreement between the Union and the UK shall indicate the parts of this Protocol which it supersedes.” See Article 13 (8). 6/
Johnson claimed NI "benefits immediately from any UK trade deals”. He forgot to say NI can only benefit from trade deals with third countries “provided that those agreements do not prejudice the application of this Protocol.” (See Article 4). 7/
Now for fishy promises. He told MPs "we will take back 100% control of [our] spectacular marine wealth ”. But political declaration says UK and EU should try to “establish a new fisheries agreement on, inter alia, access to waters and quota shares” by next July (paras 73, 74) 8/
PM promised “no crashing out [at the end of next year], because we will negotiate a great new friendship and partnership within the timescale.” But Barnier yesterday said that talks could take “two, three or more years”. 9/
Johnson guaranteed “no problems at the channel ports and no problems on Kent’s roads”. Again, how can he give that assurance? If we crash out next year, it will be worthless. 10/
PM said he had “every hope that the entire 3.4 million [EU citizens ] will have registered by the time of the deadline.” Maybe the vast majority will have. But the “entire” group? Not credible. 11/
He gave a “commitment” to reinforce environmental standards, in response to a question over whether there would be a “clear non-regression clause, as we have on workers’ rights”. Even if he does, a commitment that copies the wording on workers’ rights won’t be worth much. 12/
Johnson also gave an “assurance” that consumer protection will be written into the Bill. Again, if it’s like the language on workers’ rights, that will be cold comfort. 13/
Perhaps Johnson doesn’t understand what he has signed , in which case he'll benefit from taking more time. Or he is trying to hoodwink MPs. Either way, the longer the scrutiny goes on, the more his deal will be shown to be rotten to the core. 14/
Here are all those porkies and fishy promises brought together and dissected in a single article infacts.org/6-more-porkies…
