Leaked memo from Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris admits Windsor Framework has been rushed to House of Commons

Chris Heaton-Harris admits to Jessica Morden, chair of the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments, that the speed at which the deal was brought to the House of Commons has not allowed her committee to carry out its normal role before today’s debate and vote.

In the memo which was sent on Monday regarding The Draft Windsor Framework (Democratic Scrutiny) Regulations 2023, Mr Heaton-Harris said: “I am aware of the importance of providing your committee sufficient time to conduct your important functions and report on draft regulations in the normal order of business. I recognise that, on this occasion, the timetable will not permit that work before the debate on Wednesday (today).”

He goes on to explain reasons for expediency: “The Windsor Framework restores the balance needed to uphold the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement – making permanent changes to the Protocol to establish alternative arrangements for internal UK trade. Implementing the Framework expeditiously is essential to providing assurance and certainty as to what the Framework will mean in practice.”

Writing to Jessica Morden, who has been a Labour MP since 2005 – representing Newport East, the secretary of state also spoke of the importance of the Stormont Brake: “The regulations will reaffirm the practical sovereignty of the United Kingdom by providing for a new Stormont Brake. The Stormont Brake is a key element of the Windsor Framework, agreed in principle by the UK and the EU on February 27.

Today’s News Letter contains part of a review and assessment of the Windsor Framework compiled by the legal advisory committee of the pro Brexit European Research Group (ERG) of Conservative MPs.

In a section of the report ERG lawyers examine claims made by the government about the new deal.

For example in respect of the claim that “over 1,700 pages of EU law – with accompanying European Court of Justice (ECJ) jurisdiction – are disapplied” they say there is no evidence of that.

The ERG responds: “Not a single EU single market law has been removed from Northern Ireland. At most there has been ‘keyhole’ surgery within the scope of these laws.”