Theresa May’s ‘Great Repeal Bill’ is about continuity, not change

Six years ago, Matthew Parris suggested in The Spectator that David Cameron’s first act of parliament should be the Blanket Repeal of Legislation (Failure of New Labour, 1997-2010) Bill. That would have been a repeal bill worthy of the name. Theresa May’s proposed ‘Great Repeal Bill’ is not. Brexit we know about: that decision was taken on 23 June. But beyond Brexit, the Bill won’t repeal anything. On the contrary, it will ‘convert existing EU law into domestic law’ so it is about continuity, rather than annulment. It should really be called the Great EU Regulation Continuity Bill. Nothing wrong in that; it’s necessary legislation. But why spin it as radical change?

The main question is whether the legislation will get passed the Lords – with my old boss Patience (now Baroness) Wheatcroft promising to stall it in hope of something coming along to derail Brexit. As James Forsyth argues, this ‘Great Repeal’ bill is a rather spivvy name for the Brexit bill.