Government Keeping 29 Million People In The Dark About Their Future Post-Brexit

Secret Brexit papers relevant to 88% of the workforce, says Open Britain.
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Brexit Secretary David Davis is refusing to publish Brexit impact assessments
TOLGA AKMEN via Getty Images

The Government is keeping as many as 29 million workers in the dark over their future, new research has revealed. 

Civil servants have made official assessments of how Brexit will hit 58 different sector of the economy - but Brexit Secretary David Davis wants to keep their findings secret as he says making them public could “undermine” talks with the EU. 

Labour’s Keir Starmer, Shadow Brexit Secretary, has launched a bid to force the Government to publish the documents. 

By proposing what is known as a ‘humble address’, Starmer will ask the Queen herself to order the release of the documents. 

If pro-EU Tories defy Theresa May the vote will bind ministers, Labour says. 

Open Britain, which is campaigning for the UK to stay in the single market, has calculated the secret documents cover 88% of the workforce.

Labour MP Seema Malhotra MP, said: “It is unclear why the Government is determined to keep 29 million British workers in the dark about the impact Brexit could have on their jobs, careers and livelihoods.

“Working people have every right to know what is going to happen in their industries and their workplaces because of Brexit.

“Ministers may not be bothered enough to read these reports but people deserve to see the facts for themselves. If these reports show that Brexit will cause real damage to our economy and our country, the public has a right to know.”

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Labour MP Seema Malhotra
PA Archive/PA Images

 

Industry Sector And Number Of People Employed

  • Advertising and marketing 153,000

  • Aerospace 230,000

  • Agriculture, Animal Health and Food and Drink manufacturing 850,000

  • Architecture 91,200

  • Asset Management 37,000

  • Audit and accounting 342,000

  • Automotive 814,000

  • Aviation 960,000

  • Broadcasting 77,900

  • Bus and coach transport 250,000

  • Catering: retail and wholesale 1,700,000

  • Chemicals 105,000

  • Construction and Engineering 2,900,000

  • Crafts 300,000

  • Defence 142,000

  • Design: product, graphic, and fashion design 180,000

  • Electricity market, incl. renewables 112,026

  • Electronics 850,000

  • Environmental Services: waste 357,200

  • Environmental Services: water 357,200

  • Film, TV, video, radio and photography 114,000

  • Fintech 61,000

  • Fisheries 11,800

  • Gambling 106,678

  • Gas market n/a

  • Higher Education 410,130

  • Insurance and pensions 315,000

  • IT, software, and computer services (incl. video games) 1,400,000

  • Legal Services 370,000

  • Life Sciences 482,000

  • Machinery and equipment n/a

  • Maritime/ports including marine equipment 113,000

  • Market infrastructure (financial services) n/a

  • Medical devices 50,000

  • Medical services and social care 3,000,000

  • Museums, galleries, and libraries 55,000

  • Music, performing and visual arts 84,470

  • Nuclear 15,500

  • Oil and fossil fuel production (including gas) 375,000

  • Payment services and systems n/a

  • Pharmaceuticals 53,000

  • Post 161,136

  • Professional services 1,100,000

  • Publishing 209,000

  • Rail including manufacturing 190,000

  • Real Estate 1,000,000

  • Retail 2,700,000

  • Retail and corporate banking 421,000

  • Road haulage and logistics 1,620,000

  • Space 38,522

  • Steel and other metals/commodities 230,000

  • Technology (ICT) 1,500,000

  • Telecommunications 1,500,000

  • Textiles and Clothing 39,000

  • Tourism 2,970,000

  • Wholesale markets and investment banking 421,000

Total 29,646,562

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Keir Starmer in the House of Commons
PA Wire/PA Images

Starmer said: “This debate is about transparency and accountability.

“Ministers cannot keep withholding vital information from Parliament about the impact of Brexit on jobs and the economy.

“Labour recognises the importance of protecting the Government’s negotiating position with the European Union. However, that does not give Ministers the right to impose a blanket ban on publishing any information whatsoever about the economic impact of Brexit.” 

Giving evidence to the House of Lords EU Committee on Tuesday, Davis said the Government’s position was backed by MPs in a Commons vote last year.

“There was a House of Commons vote in December of last year where we said that we are not required to release anything which undermines the negotiation or the national interest frankly, or the negotiating stance of the British Government,” he told peers. “That is the reasoning behind it.”