STORY: FDF responds to Letwin amendment

Today, the government has been defeated in the Commons after MPs backed the Letwin amendment by 322 to 306. The vote means Brexit could be delayed until the withdrawal bill and all relevant legislation has come into force

Letwin's amendment says the House of Commons would “withhold support” from Boris Johnson's plan until all of the legislation required to implement the bill is passed by Parliament as well.

Ian Wright CBE, chief axecutive, Food and Drink Federation  (FDF), said in reaction to : “Everybody has had enough of the Brexit debate. It is, though, vital that we didn’t allow the fact that the nation is exhausted to mean we sleepwalk into mistakes that will haunt the UK economy for a generation. We welcome the Letwin amendment. The most urgent priority for the food and drink industry has been to prevent a no-deal exit from the EU on 31 October 2019. The Letwin amendment does that job. 

“We welcome more time to scrutinise the new Brexit deal and the legislation designed to enact it. We must also make sure the implementation period is adequate to pass the necessary UK legislation and for businesses to fully adapt. It is important that all of the consequences – including the damaging loss of frictionless trade and regulatory divergence with the EU that the new deal heralds -  are properly understood before MPs make their decision.”