Boris Johnson defends Brexit as criticisms mount: 'Deal won't send children up chimneys'

A London-based think-tank has said that environmental laws and workers' rights in the UK will be weakened after the implementation of the post-Brexit trade agreement with the EU. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has said that the UK-EU deal leaves workers’ rights and environmental protections at "serious risk of erosion". 

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The IPPR said that there is no doubt the agreement is better than a no-deal exit, but also highlighted some of the shortcomings, in particular the implications of the deal on labour and environmental protections post-January 1. IPPR said that the problem arises from the process agreed for safeguarding a “level playing field” between UK and EU businesses after the Brexit, adding "sets such a high bar for proof that key elements are likely to be enforced only rarely". 

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The issue of a level-playing field between UK and EU businesses was one of the few obstacles both sides were facing before agreeing to a deal on December 24. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson himself has admitted that there is "devil in the details" of the deal. According to the Independent, Johnson assured that the UK won't immediately send children up the chimneys or fill beaches across the country with raw sewage. 

The UK-EU deal

The deal between the UK and the EU will allow free movement of goods produced by Britain and the union. This is also the “first time” that the 27-nation-bloc has agreed to a ‘zero tariffs zero quota deal’ with any other trading partner. The Brexit deal also includes the provisions to support the trade in services providing the UK with service suppliers with legal guarantees that will not face any disruptions to trade while selling into the union along with supporting British professionals who will continue their business across Europe.

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The agreement between the UK and the EU was being blocked on three key issues, including fishing rights, governance, and level-playing fields. Fishing rights remained a thorn till the end as Britain was not willing to allow the European fishing fleet in its waters. As per reports, UK and EU have compromised on the fisheries issue with the bloc agreeing to drop its share of the catch in the English waters by 25 percent over a period of five and a half years. The British parliament is expected to vote on the deal on December 30, while the EU will reportedly approve it for the time being and will vote on it next year because of less time for scrutiny. 

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