Critics slam UK bid for post-Brexit bonfire of EU laws

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is pushing ahead with a contentious plan to remove all remaining European Union laws from Britain’s statute book by the end of the year

Britain Politics (AP)

First came Brexit. Now comes Britain’s bonfire of European laws.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is pushing ahead with a contentious plan to remove all remaining European Union laws from Britain’s statute book by the end of 2023, despite opponents’ claims that the move is rash and unworkable.

Thousands of pieces of EU law were cut-and-pasted into U.K. legislation when Britain left the bloc in 2020 after decades of membership, to ensure continuity for people and businesses. A bill debated Wednesday in Parliament would automatically remove all of them at the end of the year unless they are explicitly replaced or retained. Financial services rules are exempt from the cull.