Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP, has written an article for Green World on how Brexit will disproportionately impact the most vulnerable in society. She writes:

“We will all lose out from Brexit. But it’s children, older people, those with disabilities, single parents, families in temporary accommodation and the millions who are struggling to make ends meet who will be hit hardest by this government’s reckless decisions.”

Read the full article below, or on the Green World website here.

Vulnerable people will pay the price of this reckless Brexit

Applying for the government’s new ‘settled status’ immigration regime is supposed to be “as easy as setting up an online account at LK Bennett,” at least according to former Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

Navigating the app – ‘EU Exit – ID Document Check’ – may be relatively straightforward for EEA nationals who are politically engaged, technologically literate, in long-term employment and have access to legal advice. Unfortunately, it’s likely to cause a major headache for thousands of people who do not meet this criteria. The government trialled the app during two pilot phases, which highlighted several causes for concern. Here, I’ll outline just a few of them.

Firstly, as has been well documented, the app is currently only available on Android devices. Anyone who owns an iPhone, or does not have access to a smartphone at all, will need to post their passport to the Home Office (not ideal given the Home Office’s poor track record) or visit one of 50 scanning centres that will eventually be set up (which could be problematic for those with childcare commitments or mobility issues). The rocky start doesn’t inspire confidence in the rest of the process.

Once applicants have gained access to the app, they need to supply the correct documents to prove their eligibility for ‘settled status’. During the government’s pilot phase, 16 per cent of cases processed initially fell at this hurdle and applicants were required to provide additional papers. We know that this burden tends to fall to the least fortunate groups, including people with low literacy levels, those employed on precarious work contracts or suffering from medical issues.

Meanwhile, thousands of children are also at risk of slipping through the gaps. According to a new study by Coram Children’s Legal Centre (CCLC), children represent roughly one third of the estimated 3.8 million individuals who may have to engage with the EU settlement scheme. Most of these children will rely on their parents to deal with their applications for ‘settled status’. So it’s deeply worrying that The Migration Observatory estimates some 55,000 children will miss out on registering as their parents mistakenly believe they are EU citizens.

I’m also very concerned about the status of the 5,000 vulnerable EU children within the UK’s care system. According to CCLC, one third of local authorities in England do not know how many children in their care may be directly affected by Brexit. Even if they do pinpoint which children in their care need to apply for ‘settled status’, they may struggle to source the necessary paperwork. In Waltham Forest, my hometown and one of the five local authorities taking part in the government’s pilot project, not a single application for children in care was made during the five weeks of the programme because no children had the requisite nationality documents.

The adults and children who fail to register for the government’s new immigration status are likely to find themselves exposed to its relentless, irrational ‘hostile environment’ – a policy which is designed to make undocumented migrants’ lives a misery within the UK. They may find themselves unable to get a job, drive a car, open a bank account, or even access some NHS services. Excluded from attending college or university, this could very well mark the start of a slippery slope into the margins of society.

Sadly, the problematic ‘settled status’ application process is just one example of the government’s abject failure to exercise a duty of care towards vulnerable people during the Brexit negotiation process.

The UK is now just days from plummeting from a ‘no deal’ cliff edge, which charities warn could have a debilitating impact on food banks and homeless shelters. Services that feed millions of people, including free school dinners, could be affected by a combination of high demand and high inflation. Meanwhile, the Royal College of Radiologists has warned that NHS trusts would have no choice but to prioritise which patients receive cancer treatment, while supplies of life-saving medication such as insulin may be stuck at the border.

Even if Theresa May does manage to scrape together a majority in favour of her dismal deal, food standards, environmental protections and workers’ rights could be stripped back. And there is still no sign of the government’s promised consultation on its proposed Shared Prosperity Fund, which is intended to replace billions of pounds of EU funding to the UK’s most deprived communities.

We will all lose out from Brexit. But it’s children, older people, those with disabilities, single parents, families in temporary accommodation and the millions who are struggling to make ends meet who will be hit hardest by this government’s reckless decisions.

If this government had an ounce of integrity, and was truly acting in the national interest, it would immediately call a People’s Vote. If it fails to do so, the most vulnerable among us will pay the price.

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This afternoon, the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of the continued recognition of citizens’ social security contributions and acquired entitlements in the case of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

In total, 652 cross-party MEPs passed the regulation, while just 8 voted against. A further 18 MEPs chose to abstain, including a number of UK members such as Nigel Farage and Gerard Batten.

The co-rapporteurs on the rapport were Jean Lambert (UK, Greens/EFA) and Marian Harkin (Ireland, ALDE).

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the regulation will safeguard entitlements to social security benefits based on insurance, employment or residence acquired before the UK’s exit from the EU. Read the full text here.

These contingency measures would apply to EU citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living in the EU27, who have acquired social entitlements while exercising their free movement rights. It means citizens’ contribution history will still be counted by EU Member States, and guarantees they do not lose these entitlements in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

The measures will be adopted unilaterally by the EU, and enter into force only if the UK leaves the EU without a withdrawal agreement in place.

Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP and co-rapporteur on the regulation, said:

“Given that the UK Government has failed to offer concrete guarantees on citizens’ rights, I’m very pleased to be able to provide a small piece of reassurance to people caught up in this Brexit mess. The safety net we have provided today will ensure the contributions in the UK will still be counted by the EU27 if the UK leaves without a deal.

While this regulation covers the essentials of social security rights, it does not touch on other important protections such as reciprocal healthcare and continued rights for posted workers. Providing safeguards on these issues would require cooperation with the UK Government. This regulation is in place for a situation where there would be no cooperation with the UK, which would be the reality of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

We hope this contingency regulation will bring some peace of mind to the 5 million citizens whose lives have been thrown into limbo due to Brexit.”

Notes:

Background
In the case of a ‘no deal’ Brexit, there will be no transition period and EU law on social security coordination will no longer apply in the relations between the EU and the UK. Under this new contingency regulation, Member States will be required to recognise contributions and entitlements gained up until the exit date and ensure that both UK and EU citizens do not lose out on historic rights. The expectation is that the UK reciprocates – although this isn’t required for the EU to continue with this legislation.

What is included?
There is a need to ensure that those persons who exercised, as EU citizens, their right to free movement within the EU before the withdrawal date, maintain their social security entitlements acquired before the withdrawal date.

What is not included?
As the UK will be a third country, other principles and rights of social security coordination will not continue to apply as of the withdrawal date, such as the exportability of cash benefits, the continuous provision of sickness benefits in kind (EHIC), and the rules on applicable legislation (going to an EU Member State for work purposes). This contingency regulation only ensures those matters the EU can unilaterally guarantee without cooperation with the UK, namely the social security entitlements of persons who exercised their right to free movement prior to the withdrawal date. The Withdrawal Agreement ensures many more rights and has the benefit of a transition period.

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On 9 March 2019 I hosted a day conference to launch our book ‘Greens for a Better Europe – 20 years of UK Green influence in the EU’.  The event also looked ahead to discuss the important issues and challenges that will be a focus for Greens and other campaigners in 2019 and beyond – in London and across Europe.  

‘Greens for a Better Europe’ assesses the work of the UK Green MEPs in the European Parliament over the past two decades, in the context of Green influence in European politics more generally. My contribution covers my time as London’s Green MEP, from becoming one of the first UK Greens to enter the institution back in 1999, to navigating the catastrophic Brexit mess we find ourselves in today.  The book tells the story of the UK’s four current and former MEPs – including chapters written by me, Caroline Lucas, Molly Scott Cato and Keith Taylor.

The book provided the jumping off point for the conference, and many of the speakers who shared their insights on the day also contributed chapters to ‘Greens for a Better Europe’. Speakers included: Nick Dearden, Director of Global Justice Now; Caroline Russell, Green London Assembly Member; Monica Frassoni, Co-chair, European Greens (via video link); Natalie Bennett, Green European Journal and former Green Party Leader; Samir Jeraj, journalist and author of ‘The Rent Trap’; and Jamila Schaefer, International Co-ordinator for the German Greens.

In this, my last few months as an MEP, my team and I were delighted to welcome so many engaged Greens and other activists, including European Green friends, in London.

My closing remarks to the day were that, if Britain leaves the EU, it will bring an end to 20 years of UK Green influence in the European Parliament and other EU institutions. We would be shutting out so much of what makes the UK a strong country. It should be unthinkable to choose not to sit at the table and play a role shaping our shared future. I think that’s giving away control, not taking it back.

Our final speaker was Hannah Graham from the London Young Greens who highlighted that young people are particularly passionate about politics, engaging with environmental and social issues, and pushing for change. In recent months, they have seized control of the agenda via the inspiring school and youth strikes for climate and Extinction Rebellion protests.

The future is indeed Green.

If you would like a free copy of the #GreenMEPBook (and whilst my office is operational) click here to email us and let us know your full name and postal address.  

Alternatively, you can also download ‘Greens for a Better Europe’ as a free eBook here.

Photos of the event are below

Right to Left: Nick Dearden, Jean Lambert, Danny Bates and Natalie Bennett

Hannah Graham from London Young Greens

Right to Left: Molly Scott Cato MEP, Keith Taylor MEP and Jean Lambert MEP at Europe House ‘Greens for a Better Europe’ press launch

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CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ‘GREENS FOR A BETTER EUROPE’

· Led on crafting EU air pollution laws which have landed the UK Government in court three times for breaching toxic air limits

· Helped to establish European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) which give citizens access to emergency healthcare across the EU

· Secured a VAT exemption for small businesses across the EU

​· Banned illegally logged timber from being sold in the EU

Over the past 20 years, the UK’s Green MEPs have been hugely influential in the European Parliament. Everyone living in modern Britain – and the rest of the EU27 – will have been touched by the causes they have campaigned for, and the progressive policies that have resulted. Should Brexit go ahead, UK citizens look set to lose many of these rights and protections.

A new book, Greens for a Better Europe: Twenty Years of UK Green Influence in the European Parliament, 1999-2019, reveals the untold story of the UK’s current and former Green MEPs: Caroline Lucas, Jean Lambert, Keith Taylor and Molly Scott Cato.

The book – which can be downloaded for free – brings together academics, journalists, campaigners and Green MEPs from across the EU to chart and analyse two decades of Green achievements. Contributors to the book include environmentalist Tony Juniper, the University of Strathclyde’s Wolfgang Rüdig, Make Votes Matter’s Klina Jordan and Owen Winter and former Green Party leader Natalie Bennett.

Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion, said:

“I am proud of the contribution that Green MEPs from the UK made to the European Union in our 20 years there. In an increasingly divided political world, we fought for what was right, and we did so while swimming against the tide more often than not.

Greens for a Better Europe highlights what our Party can achieve when the electoral system is not stacked against us, and when we work closely with our European neighbours in pursuit of shared, ambitious, green goals.”

Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London, said:

“Over the past two decades, the UK’s Green MEPs have led on many issues that other parties have only just begun to recognise, and on which they are still far behind.

This book gives an insight into how the Greens have worked with colleagues, across party lines, to make Europe a safer, healthier and greener place.

These pages also make it dazzlingly clear that the British political system is broken. The UK’s approach, which treats compromise as a dirty word, now threatens to undermine the rights and protections we have fought so hard for. British politicians have a huge amount to learn from their European neighbours about how politics can, and should, be done.”

Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the South East of England, said:

“UK Greens have been making a difference in the EU for two decades now. That we’re reflecting on that fact as Britain hurtles towards a catastrophic Brexit is beyond bittersweet.

Greens for a Better Europe is loaded with success stories that demonstrate what we can achieve when we work together with our European partners and friends to improve the lives of 500 million citizens across Britain and the EU.

Brexit is a disaster. This book will inevitably put the spotlight on exactly what we have to lose. But it also sets out a vision for how Greens can maintain our internationalist efforts to collaborate with our allies across Europe, and the world, to tackle the biggest crises facing our planet today.”

Molly Scott Cato, Green MEP for South West England and Gibraltar, added:

“Greens in the European Parliament have always punched well above our weight. Our influence has far exceeded the size of our electoral support. This is proof that the radical ideas we put forward on a green economy and sustainable finance; the precautionary principle and a more equal society, are in fact common sense proposals that work for the common good and are therefore hard to oppose.

It is also fair to say that we would not have witnessed the influence of the UK’s Green MEPs had it not been for the proportional system used for European elections. It is ironic that ‘take back control’ could end the most democratic national elections the UK has ever seen.

We live in a world that is increasingly interconnected. We cannot solve global problems like climate breakdown and corporate tax avoidance as one country. In our globalised economy we need to work together, as Europeans and as global citizens, to find just and sustainable solutions.”

“If we don’t change we will perish. Only the Greens truly recognise this. Strong Green Party voices at every level of government are vital.”

Sir Mark Rylance (Actor, theatre producer and director) – “I can say with confidence that the power of Greens and their ideas in politics have never been more essential.”

Tony Juniper (Campaigner and environmentalist) – “England’s Green MEPs have been among the highest profile and most effective MEPs, so far as civil society is concerned.”

Nick Dearden (Director, Global Justice Now) – “England’s Green MEPs have been among the highest profile and most effective MEPs, so far as civil society is concerned.” 

Notes:​​

Title: Greens for a Better Europe; Twenty Years of UK Green Influence in the European Parliament, 1999-2019
Editor: Liam Ward
Publication: 7th March 2019
Formats: Paperback, ePub and iPDF
ISBN: 978 1 907994 88 3
Price: FREE

Authors: Caroline Lucas, Tony Juniper, Keith Taylor, Molly Scott Cato, Jean Lambert, Reinhard Butikofer, Wolfgang Rudig, Samir Jeraj, Natalie Bennett, Klina Jordan, Owen Winter.

Distributors: Barnett’s of Wadhurst; Griffin Books, Penarth; Philip Howard Books, Leeds; Chepstow Books & Gifts; News from Nowhere, Liverpool; Five Leaves Bookshop, Nottingham; Stoke Newington Bookshop, London; The Book House, Oxfordshire; Warwick Books; Housmans, London; City Books, Hove, Five Leaves Bookshop, Nottingham

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Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP, has written a blog post for Heinrich Boell Stiftung Europe: ‘Staring into the Brexit Void’.

In the article, Jean explores the current state of play of Brexit, possible next steps, and what the EU can do to help.

Read the blog post in full below, or on Heinrich Boell Stiftung’s website.

Staring into the Brexit void

Next week, on 14th February, MPs are expected to return to the House of Commons for another ‘meaningful vote’ on Theresa May’s vision for Brexit.

It’s hard to fathom a less fitting way to mark Valentine’s Day. If the Prime Minister gets her way, the UK will finally embark on an agreed pathway towards ending its mutually beneficial relationship with the EU – an arrangement which has helped bring relative peace to Europe, and enabled millions to live, love and work in 27 other countries.

The debate will also once again focus the attention of the world’s media on the UK’s deep-rooted domestic problems. It will expose the tribal nature of British politics, the vulnerability of our electoral system to abuse and manipulation, and the deep cracks in our unwritten constitution.

Yet, at the end of the day, the event is likely to leave us with more questions than answers. Here’s why.

What is the current state of play?

Brexit is stuck in a rut, with Parliament unable to find a majority for any single route ahead.

During the last ‘meaningful vote’, on 15th January, MPs overwhelmingly rejected Theresa May’s Brexit deal – the only agreement she could possibly have reached within the confines of her self-imposed red lines.
For a brief moment, it was encouraging to see a slim majority of MPs vote to take a catastrophic ‘no deal’ off the table. Yet they failed to turn this sentiment into action, voting against another proposal which would have granted them the power to make it a reality.

Meanwhile, the Tories united around an amendment seeking to replace the Irish backstop with “alternative arrangements”, and secured a majority of the House. Yet in failing to outline what these “arrangements” might look like, their only achievement is to push the UK closer the precipice of a ‘no deal’ cliff edge without a defined plan of action.

What happens next?

The EU has been extremely consistent in its message: it is not prepared to reopen negotiations over the Withdrawal Agreement or make any concessions over the Irish backstop.

Once Theresa May finally takes this on board, she will be left with just three options: exit the EU with ‘no deal’, revoke Article 50 altogether, or extend Article 50 to buy more time.

In any sensible world, the Government would immediately rule out leaving the EU without a deal. Yet, sadly, any semblance of ‘sense’ appears to have departed from our Conservative Government years ago. With each day that passes, it looks increasingly likely that Theresa May will plough the country off a ‘no deal’ cliff edge on 29 March, despite the immense (and rapidly growing) body of evidence proving this would be an immense act of self-harm.

Meanwhile, any Government that was truly acting in the national interest would heed the results of its own impact assessments, hold its hands up, and admit that Brexit was an ill thought-out project that will cause irrevocable harm to the country and its citizens. It would immediately revoke Article 50 and stop this madness.
Unfortunately, given that neither of these options appears likely, there is only one viable path ahead: pressing the ‘pause’ button on Brexit by extending Article 50.

Contrary to what you’ll hear from some British MPs, the UK can’t simply demand an Article 50 extension. It will have to ask the European Council for one, and all 27 Member States must agree to the request unanimously.
At this juncture, it would be entirely understandable if some Member States just wanted the troublesome UK to take its coat and leave the club, regardless of the storm brewing outside. Yet, throughout this Brexit saga, the EU’s 27 Member States have shown incredible unity and the will to reach an agreement. The bloc seems unlikely to give up on this now.

However, Member States have also been clear that they will only consider extending Article 50 if it fits with their own strategic interests. In other words, the EU is unlikely to grant an extension so that the Government can continue searching for unicorns on the Irish border. It will want to see the UK Parliament agree on a workable blueprint to solve this impasse. This could look like more time to prepare for leaving the UK with ‘no deal’, to implement new technologies on the Irish border, a general election, or – what I believe is now the only viable option – putting the question back to the electorate in the form of a People’s Vote.

What can the EU do to help?

When it comes to big questions about the future relationship between the UK and the EU, it’s worth bearing in mind that both are restricted by Theresa May’s red lines – a set of rules heavily influenced by the most hard-line Leavers in the Tory Party. This leaves very little leeway for the “creative” response that the Prime Minister has demanded.

Yet, on a practical level, the EU has been working consistently to try and buffer the damage that will be caused by Brexit – regardless of whether there is a deal or not. For example, last week the Commission published its latest set of contingency measures which could guarantee that those who are covered by EU Social Security Coordination will have their acquired rights upheld by the EU (for example, Brits who spent time working in Germany will not lose out on any pension funds acquired during that time). I am now co-leading on the effort to push this through the European Parliament as quickly as possible, and trust that Member States will cooperate on that. The European Parliament also last week backed rules allowing British nationals to enter the EU visa-free for a stay of up to 90 days, so long as EU nationals travelling to the UK enjoy the same conditions.

But looking at the broader picture, I believe the EU also has an important role to play in seizing control of the conversation around Brexit – pulling it away from the fantasy world inhabited by so many Leavers, and back into the realms of reality.

Despite their swashbuckling talk of “regaining our sovereignty” and “taking back control of our borders”, most British cabinet ministers have spectacularly failed in their duty to outline how Brexit will tangibly impact people’s lives and their futures.

It would not only benefit the UK, but other countries in the run-up to the European Parliament elections in May, if the EU can shout from the rooftops about its immense contribution to citizens’ freedoms, rights and protections.

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Jean Lambert has joined a cross-party group of 12 other MEPs and 11 MPs who have written to the Director General of the BBC, Tony Hall, to complain about viewers being misled on BBC Question Time.

The letter – coordinated by Green MEP Molly Scott Cato – highlights how Question Time host, Fiona Bruce, said there were “questions on both sides” about breaches of rules by the Leave and Remain campaigns during the EU referendum campaign.

Signatories to the the letter say this draws “a false equivalence between illegal acts by the Leave side and politically motivated criticism of the Remain side”.

Read the full letter here.

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This week, Jean Lambert MEP published her “5 Brexit Truths” highlighting that leaving the EU is more complex than many would have us believe.

Watch all five short videos below or on Jean’s youtube channel here.

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Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP, has co-signed a letter to EU leaders calling for swift action to protect the rights of citizens in the event of a chaotic ‘no deal’ scenario.

Jean joined 24 other cross-party MEPs in signing the letter, which calls on the EU to ring-fence citizens’ rights – unilaterally if necessary – to reassure millions that their rights will be upheld regardless of which course the UK Government chooses.

Read the full text of the letter below, or in PDF format here.

Dear President Tusk, Dear Mr Barnier, Dear President Juncker, Dear Mr Verhofstadt,

We are writing to urgently request that you act now to ring-fence the rights of citizens within the Brexit negotiations.  We believe the EU should if needs be do this unilaterally and commit our good offices to urge the UK government to do the same.

Following the rejection by the House of Commons of the UK Government’s deal on the Withdrawal Agreement and the future relationship with the EU, it is of crucial importance that action is taken swiftly to calm the very real fears of many EU citizens across the continent. The scale of the defeat (230 votes) means that the deal as it currently stands seems very unlikely to ever pass the House of Commons.  This would mean that the operative provisions on Citizens Rights may not come into effect, impacting upon millions of European citizens resident in the UK and UK citizens across the EU.

It is unacceptable that our citizens have been subject to such uncertainty so long and where we fully recognise the failure is on the UK side, we now need the European Union to live up to its promises given that it has the capacity to do so.

Were the Member States to come together at Council level and agree to enshrine the rights of UK nationals – including their existing freedom of movement rights – in a legally binding agreement as an EU-wide solution, rather than rely on more piecemeal national legislation for each individual Member State which can be adjusted or overturned at any moment, we believe that this would act as a huge incentive for the UK government to reciprocate.

We absolutely appreciate the reasoning behind your previously stated position that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed”, however we have now reached such a point that it is entirely possible that nothing at all will be agreed. Therefore, we kindly urge you to now look at salvaging whatever possible on the behalf of our citizens who are so desperately seeking reassurances.

We thank you for your urgent consideration and look forward to a positive reply.

Richard Ashworth MEP

Catherine Bearder MEP

Paul Brannan MEP

Richard Corbett MEP

Seb Dance MEP

Jill Evans MEP

Julie Girling MEP

Theresa Griffin MEP

Mary Honeyball MEP

John Howarth MEP

Wajid Khan MEP

Jude Kirton-Darling MEP

Jean Lambert MEP

David Martin MEP

Linda McAvan MEP

Clare Moody MEP

Rory Palmer MEP

Molly Scott Cato MEP

Alyn Smith MEP

Catherine Stihler MEP

Charles Tannock MEP

Keith Taylor MEP

Derek Vaughan MEP

Julie Ward MEP

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16 January 2019

Last night, MPs voted against Theresa May’s Brexit deal by 432 to 202 – the heaviest parliamentary defeat of the democratic era. [1]

Jean Lambert, London’s Green MEP, responded to the result by calling on the Prime Minister to revoke Article 50 and call a People’s Vote:

“Last night’s crippling defeat – the largest in our Parliament’s democratic history – is yet another humiliation for Theresa May and her Government.

Having already lost her majority at the 2017 General Election, the Prime Minister’s vision for Brexit has now also lost the confidence of Parliament and of a huge proportion of her own Tory MPs.

We were promised ‘strong and stable’ leadership. But, having mishandled Brexit at every turn and treated Parliament with contempt, the Tories have ploughed the UK directly into the greatest constitutional crisis in modern history.

Given that the EU clearly has no appetite to reopen negotiations, Theresa May’s deal is now dead in the water. Meanwhile, there is no Parliamentary majority for her threatened ‘no deal’ Brexit – a catastrophic act of self-harm which would put lives at risk, damage the economy, and inflict yet more irreparable damage to the UK’s reputation on the world stage.

At this impasse, it’s time for the Prime Minister to stop living in fairy-land and face facts. The Government must restore this country’s hard-won democratic standards, and act in the genuine national interest. It’s time to extend Article 50, and call a People’s Vote.”

Notes:

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jan/15/theresa-may-suffers-historic-defeat-as-tories-turn-against-her

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Today, London’s Evening Standard has published a letter to the editor from Jean Lambert MEP.

The letter criticises the Government for failing to launch its planned consultation on the proposed Shared Prosperity Fund, which is intended to ensure that the UK’s communities and projects do not lose out after Brexit.

Read the full letter below or on the Evening Standard website.

You can also read more about this important issue, and find out how it will impact Londoners in particular, in Jean’s report Losing it Over Brexit.

 
Government has to tackle inequality

Every year, the EU contributes just over £500 million to London’s communities and projects.

The Government promised to consult on a “Shared Prosperity Fund” by the end of 2018. This new fund would “use the structural money that comes back to the UK as a result of Brexit” to reduce inequalities.

We are now in 2019 — with less than 80 days to go until Brexit — and there’s no sign of this consultation. It’s time ministers guaranteed these projects, or vulnerable Londoners  will pay the price.

Jean Lambert MEP
London’s Green Party Member of the European Parliament

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