Opposition demands contempt proceedings against UK govt
6 opposition parties call for contempt proceedings over government’s failure to publish Brexit legal advice in full
By Muhammad Mussa
LONDON
Six opposition parties have written a joint letter, calling for contempt proceedings over the government’s failure to publish its Brexit legal advice in full.
The letter has been signed by representatives from the Labour party, the DUP, the SNP, the Liberal Democrats party, the Green party and the Welsh Plaid Cymru and has been sent to the speaker of the House of Commons.
“We are writing to request that you consider giving precedence to a motion being placed before the House of Commons that the Government has held Parliament in contempt,” the letter read.
The group argue that the government is in contempt of parliament after failing to publish its full Brexit legal advice after having lost a vote in the Commons on Nov. 13 when the Labour party introduced a motion that required the government to publish its legal advice.
The letter went on to say that “the motion passed unanimously and was not opposed by the Government” and that the speaker of the Commons ruled that “the motion is effective”.
“It is apparent to us - and we believe the overwhelming majority of the House - that the information released today does not constitute the final and full advice provided by the Attorney General to the Cabinet. It does not comply with a motion of the House that you have ruled to be effective,” the letter said.
“We would now ask that you consider giving the House of Commons the opportunity to debate and consider this matter of contempt at the earliest opportunity,” the signatories said.
The six representatives who signed the letter were Keir Starmer, Labour’s shadow secretary of state for exiting the EU; Nigel Dodds, deputy leader of the DUP; Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrat’s spokesperson on exiting the EU; Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green party; Stephen Gethins, SNP foreign affairs and Europe spokesperson; and Hywel Williams, the Plaid Cymru spokesperson on Brexit.
The government today published a 43-page summary of its legal advice on the draft withdrawal agreement signed with the EU and has already come under heavy criticism from MPs across parliament.
