Matrix’s Legal Support Service provides a weekly round-up of Brexit-related links and news.

Brexit and the UK constitution

1. The Guardian writes of the concerns that Brexit will reopen old wounds with a new hard border in Northern Ireland.

The UK’s post-Brexit deal with the EU

1. Danuta Hubner, chair of the European Parliament constitutional affairs committee, has warned that the snap General Election will reduce the time available to negotiate a Brexit deal. Meanwhile the European parliament’s Brexit coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, has stated that the result of the election will be irrelevant in Brussels and is merely “an attempted power grab by the Conservative party”.
2. Sir Keir Starmer has set out Labour’s plans for Brexit should they be elected in June, prioritising jobs and work rights; reportedly the Labour leadership has reached a truce on immigration policy in agreeing that free movement of labour will have to end upon Brexit. Peter Mandelson has criticised the party’s approach as “equivocal and fence sitting”.
3. As reported by the Financial Times, Theresa May is meeting meet Michael Barnier and other senior Brexit negotiators, as she begins to show her intention to steer Brexit negotiations.
4. French presidential candidate, Macron reportedly intends to drive a hard bargain in Brexit talks, with the Financial Times also reporting on how his election could make Brexit talks tougher.
5. Following Brexit, with the UK ‘taking back control’ of its law-making, The Conversation has argued that there will be a boom of corporate lobbying in London.
6. The Government has responded to concerns about the legality of the EU sanctions listing process, asserting that, post Brexit, the UK will continue to work with EU Member States to ensure sanctions are used effectively and responsibly. It has also set up a public consultation on the issue.
7. PoliticsHome has examined the impact of Brexit on the UK’s future role and participation in European security and law enforcement cooperation.
8. The Institute for Public Policy Research has published a report on free movement for EU nationals during Brexit negotiations.

Impact of Brexit on the economy

1. For the LSE Brexit blog, Annette Bongardt and Francisco Torres have written an article arguing that Brexit will be beneficial for the EU as it “opens up the perspective to gear up financial regulation in the single market towards the Eurozone’s public good of financial stability, thereby reinforcing the EMU”.
2. The Guardian argues that the pound’s sharp fall since the Brexit vote and a mood of uncertainty among employers has hit household budgets.
3. Austria’s central bank governor, Ewald Nowotny, who is a member of the ECB’s governing council, has warned that the economic threats posed by Brexit have been underestimated. Meanwhile international banks are reportedly seriously considering moving their offices to Frankfurt, away from London.
4. Politico has stated that smugglers across the Ireland-Northern Ireland border will thrive following Brexit as the bigger the differences between the tax and regulatory regimes on either side of the border, the greater the opportunity for illicit profit.

Brexit as it affects Practice Areas:

            Employment

The Independent reports on a study carried out by GQ Employment Law, which found that UK financial firms are hoping to use Brexit to roll back employment protections for UK workers.

However, research by FSB has found that over half of small businesses with EU workers are worried about being able to access people with the right skills post-Brexit.

The Financial Times has reported on the farm robots which are being readied to plug the labour shortage on British farms which will be exacerbated by Brexit.

            Immigration

The Commons’ Education Select Committee has produced a report on Brexit and higher education, arguing that guarantees need to be given to university staff who are EU nationals to prevent a ‘brain drain’.

The Financial Times reports that the Home Office has issued guidance trying to discourage EU nationals from applying for permanent residence in the UK to avoid a flood of applications following the triggering of art 50.

Brussels is pushing for EU workers in Britain to enjoy the full range of their EU rights for the whole of their lifetimes, enforced by the European Commission and overseen by European courts. This is also reported by The Guardian.

The Institute for Public Policy Research has published a report on free movement for EU nationals during Brexit negotiations.

            Human Rights, Equality and Discrimination

Meeting with the Minister of State for Justice, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Scottish Human Rights Commission and Northern Irish Human Rights Commission stated that as we go through a period of great constitutional change the UK Government must take the opportunity to strengthen human rights protections, not weaken them.

            Education

The Government has confirmed that EU students will remain eligible for undergraduate, master’s, postgraduate and advanced learner financial support in academic year 2018 to 2019.