Against the background of the current wave of strikes across the country, Bill Cash MP today presents a Bill to the House of Commons, stating that “workers or members of a trade union who are UK nationals shall have rights of employment in the United Kingdom equal to or as favourable as those afforded to foreign nationals or conferred by the United Kingdom Parliament.” Cash says: “This reference to the United Kingdom Parliament is absolutely crucial because it is essential that legislation is passed by this Government overriding the rulings of the European Court of Justice in accordance with the formula in this Bill, notwithstanding the European Communities Act 1972.”
“The posted workers directive which is at the root of the wave of strikes across the country was adopted on 16th December 1996, under John Major’s Government, when Ken Clarke was Chancellor of Exchequer. European Court of Justice rulings cannot be changed except by the agreement of all the 27 Member States and in any case, the negotiations will take years. However, contrary to statements made by BBC correspondents, the problem can be solved by passing legislation at Westminster as John Monks, former head of a British trade union and general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation stated this morning on the Today programme, effectively endorsing the Bill which was tabled last night.
“David Cameron, on becoming leader, in a modern progressive and principled statement, said in his speech to the Centre for Policy Studies in November 2005: ‘For Britain, the first priority must be the return of powers over employment and social regulation. This would be the strategic imperative of my European policy.’
Furthermore, the formula in this Bill follows Bill Cash’s amendments in 2006, also under David Cameron’s leadership (and in line with his speech of November 2005), which provided for the overriding of European legislation to relieve the burdens of British business and an obligation on the British judiciary to obey that legislation. Bill Cash’s amendment was whipped in both Houses.
“The Bill is supported by former Secretaries of State and members of the Cabinet, including Peter Lilley, John Redwood, David Heathcoat-Amory and Michael Ancram and many other former ministers as well as MPs.
“It is clear and fair that UK nationals should have equal rights to everyone else, they should have rights on par with those of foreign nationals and also rights which are presented them to by their own sovereign Parliament. That is why I am presenting this Bill. We need British jobs and British laws for British workers.”
