London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

‘A recipe for bad lawmaking’ — company bosses slam ‘Brexit bonfire’ bill

‘A recipe for bad lawmaking’ — company bosses slam ‘Brexit bonfire’ bill

Company bosses said they would prefer to retain the remaining EU laws rather than see them scrapped
A bonfire of EU laws is likely to create more problems than it would solve, according to an Institute of Directors (IoD) survey.

A poll of 949 company bosses asked which policy area offered the greatest opportunity for the UK to “reduce the regulatory burden” of EU law.

However, most respondents who gave an answer said there was no such policy area. When excluding the 8% who said they didn’t know, 51% said their “preference is for regulatory stability in the current framework”.

This compared to just over one in five respondents who mentioned employment regulation, while one in eight cited financial services regulation. The Financial Conduct Authority announced plans to streamline many UK financial regulations last night, in order to make London listings more attractive.

Environmental regulations and health and safety regulations were both mentioned by around 5% of respondents who gave an answer.

“The speed at which government intends to review retained EU law is a recipe for bad law-making,” said Dr. Roger Barker, director of policy at the Institute of Directors. “Rules and regulations across a range of business-relevant areas could be changed or removed without the normal processes of parliamentary scrutiny or stakeholder consultation.

“This gives rise to a level of regulatory uncertainty which is extremely unhelpful for business.

The IoD poll also found that four in five IoD members were at least “somewhat” aware of the EU Retained Law Bill - which would scrap most EU laws that are still on the books in the UK - and what it covers.

“Our polling also demonstrates that there is a surprisingly high level of awareness amongst business leaders of the Bill,” Barker said. “Far from being an arcane piece of post-Brexit adjustment, our members are very aware of the uncertainty it implies. And they are concerned about what they see.

The IoD boss added that it would make much more sense to simply review existing regulations - both domestic and derived from Brussels - and scrap those that are not needed while keeping those that are.

“Ideally, we would like to see this Bill dropped, and the process of regulatory reform pursued in a less politicised manner,” he said. “No distinction should be made between reforming regulations which have been retained from the EU or which derive from domestic legislation.

“Both types of law should be assessed on their merits and with regard to overcoming the specific challenges facing business.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×