The Government has signed into law legislation to repeal the Act of Parliament which set in stone Britain’s EU (EEC) membership in 1972.
The 1972 Act is the vehicle that sees regulations flow into UK law directly from the EU’s lawmaking bodies in Brussels. Continue reading END GAME: Brexit Secretary signs order to scrap 1972 Brussels Act – ending all EU law in the UK
The Scottish and Welsh Governments have raised serious concerns about the impact of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit on the popular Europe-wide international student exchange program Erasmus+.
In a letter to Secretary of State for Education Gavin Williamson, Scottish Further and Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead and Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams have argued the case for continued participation in the exchange programme.
They say leaving the EU without a deal – and without the UK Government reaching an alternative Third Country agreement or other arrangement – would see universities, colleges, and schools across the UK ineligible to submit applications to participate in the final year of the current Erasmus+ programme in 2020.
Between 2014 and 2018, more than 15,000 students and staff from Scotland reaped the benefits of the EU-led scheme, which allows funded temporary study overseas as part of the their Scottish courses.
Mr Lochhead said: “Thousands of Scottish students benefit from Erasmus+ yearly, proportionally more than from any other country in the UK. The Scottish and Welsh Governments are clear that we must remain a full participant in Erasmus+.
“I am also alarmed to hear the UK Department for Education could be considering an Erasmus+ replacement programme for England only – with potentially no consequential funding for Devolved Administrations (DAs) to put in place their own arrangements. That’s why we have written to the UK Government calling for urgent action and assurances that Scottish students won’t miss out.
“It is the Scottish Government’s preference to remain in the EU, but in the event of a damaging ‘no-deal’ Brexit, students could now see the door to this fantastic cultural and educational exchange slammed shut.
“It is unacceptable that with less than 12 weeks left until the UK Government plans to take the United Kingdom out of the EU without an agreement in place, there is still no plan for alternative arrangements.”
The results of the impact studies show Erasmus+ significantly benefits students’ career prospects and personal development. The programme can act as a guide for students to discover what they want to do after their studies – making for a happier career; Erasmus+ has also been shown to drive innovation and social inclusion in higher education.
Every year, more than 300,000 students study or train under the Erasmus+ umbrella – over five million students have directly benefitted since the launch of the programme in 1987. The Higher Education Impact study found that 80 percent of Erasmus+ graduates are employed within three months of graduation, with 72 percent stating their Erasmus+ experience helped them land their first job. Nearly half of Erasmus+ trainees were offered a job in the company where they trained.
More than two-thirds of Erasmus+ students and trainees gained new insight about their career choices through studying or training abroad. This added awareness has allowed students to better orient their studies and training to match their career ambitions – leading to both happier careers and expanded professional opportunities.
The studies have also highlighted how Erasmus+ builds a sense of European identity and social cohesion. 90 percent of Erasmus+ students feel the programme has improved their ability to collaborate with people from different cultures, and are more positive about the role of the EU in society.
Erasmus+ mobility also supports the growth of innovative learning and teaching practices – as well as the expanded use digital technologies. Nearly 80 percent of academics reported their experience abroad has led to the development of more modern and innovative teaching practices and curricula in their faculties.
The impact study on Erasmus+ Higher Education Strategic Partnerships and Knowledge Alliances found that Erasmus+ has spurred equality in education – with nearly two-thirds of universities stating projects under Erasmus+ have increased social inclusion and non-discrimination in higher education.
Cooperation projects under Erasmus+ have also allowed students, higher education staff and other stakeholders to develop vital innovation and business skills. Over one in four projects under Erasmus+ contribute to strengthening entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurship – with nearly a third of these projects resulting in start-ups and spin-off enterprises.
The results of a consultation carried out across Scotland on the impact of Brexit has been published in a new report. Brexit: Unheard Voices brings together the views of 13 groups on preparing for the UK leaving the EU. Continue reading Brexit: Unheard Voices – consultation report published
The European Movement in Scotland has repeated it’s call for a second EU referendum.
David Clarke, Vice-Chair of leading pro-EU campaign group, the European Movement in Scotland, said: “The European Movement in Scotland (EMiS) welcomes the fact that Scotland has voted decisively in favour of pro-EU/Remain parties in the European Parliament elections. Continue reading Pro-EU group calls for second referendum
Members and supporters of leading pro-EU campaign group the European
Movement in Scotland made their voices heard as Brexit Party leader, Nigel Farage, held a rally at Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange last night. The group told him that his ‘No Deal Brexit’ rhetoric is not welcome here, as well as standing up for EU citizens, in a peaceful but good-natured manner. Continue reading Pro-EU campaign group rallies against Farage’s No Deal ‘fraud’
Can you tell the difference between the Netherlands and Luxembourg flags? Do you know how many officially recognised languages are spoken in Europe? Continue reading P6 pupils all set for Euroquiz Final at Holyrood
Dear Editor
The banking organisations, through incompetence, nearly made the country bankrupt but the debt was passed on to the people to shoulder. They had to accept a lot of unemployment, higher prices in the shops, frozen wages and severe cuts to public and social services.
To avoid any resistance, the authorities launched a campaign of diversion and blame. Everyone can remember how different sections of society were blamed in turn: the unemployed for not working, the disabled for being on benefits – all were targets to be blamed.
This went on for many years and people had taken enough of austerity; there was a growing mood for change, calling for the authorities to take the banking industry into public ownership and impose tighter controls over financial institutions.
This fast-growing popular demand was greatly feared by the political elite. It took them quite a while to develop an idea to divert these demands, but after eight years they were successful. It was a continuation of the blame game, but this time not blaming our own people but any and all those coming from Europe – and the idea of a Referendum was born. They concentrated on three main issues: Control, Laws and Migration.
The promoters of the referendum conducted a continuous campaign of national ‘brainwashing’. Putting relentless pressure on people is not a new idea, as a look back at recent history will confirm.
But unfortunately nearly 50% of the population were aware of the implications of a break with Europe that is our biggest trader of imports and exports, and closest.
A. Delahoy,
Silverknowes Gardens
Prime Minister Theresa May’s statement on the Brexit process extention:
“I have just met with Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, where I agreed an extension to the Brexit process to the end of October at the latest.
I continue to believe we need to leave the EU, with a deal, as soon as possible.
And vitally, the EU have agreed that the extension can be terminated when the Withdrawal Agreement has been ratified — which was my key request of my fellow leaders.
For example, this means that, if we are able to pass a deal in the first three weeks of May, we will not have to take part in European Elections and will officially leave the EU on Saturday, 1st June.
During the course of the extension, the European Council is clear that the UK will continue to hold full membership rights, as well as its obligations.
As I said in the room tonight, there is only a single tier of EU membership, with no conditionality attached beyond existing treaty obligations.
Let me conclude by saying this.
I know that there is huge frustration from many people that I had to request this extension. The UK should have left the EU by now and I sincerely regret the fact that I have not yet been able to persuade Parliament to approve a deal which would allow the UK to leave in a smooth and orderly way.
But the choices we now face are stark and the timetable is clear.
So we must now press on at pace with our efforts to reach a consensus on a deal that is in the national interest.
Tomorrow I will be making a statement to the House of Commons.
Further talks will also take place between the Government and the Opposition to seek a way forward.
I do not pretend the next few weeks will be easy or that there is a simple way to break the deadlock in Parliament.
But we have a duty as politicians to find a way to fulfil the democratic decision of the Referendum, deliver Brexit and move our country forward.
Nothing is more pressing or more vital.”
Confirmation_of_UK_Government_Agreement_to_Article_50_Extension.April
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has today written to the Prime Minister, following the extension of Article 50 until the end of October. The First Minister said it is essential now that this time is used constructively and not wasted.
Ms Sturgeon has called for ongoing talks over EU exit to include the devolved administrations, and for any deal agreed by the UK Parliament to be put to a second referendum.
Full text of the letter:
Dear Theresa
I am writing to you today following the agreement reached at the European Council last night to extend the Article 50 period to the end of October 2019, with a review in June.
It is welcome that the European Union has acted in this way to give the UK more time. However, it is essential now that this time is used constructively and not wasted.
People in Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU but have been ignored by the UK Government throughout the Brexit process. That must now change.
Notwithstanding the clear remain result in Scotland, the Scottish Government has sought to engage meaningfully on the terms of the UK’s departure from the EU and has called consistently for genuine efforts to reach consensus across party lines and with the devolved administrations. However, it is still not clear that even at this late stage and following the repeated defeat of your proposals that you are willing to drop your red lines which have restricted what can be achieved in the future relationship.
We now have the gift of more time from the EU, and that must be used constructively to re-set the UK Government approach. Your ongoing talks with the Leader of the Opposition should now broaden to include other parties, the devolved administrations, business and civic society, and open up the range of options on the table in an effort to reach a genuine consensus. If such talks are to stand any chance of success you must be prepared to recognise in particular that it is essential for Scotland, at the very least, to stay inside the Single Market and continue to benefit from freedom of movement.
Further, and more fundamentally, the Scottish Government considers that any deal agreed by the UK Parliament should be put to another referendum, with the alternative proposition on the ballot paper being to remain in the EU. The extension to 31 October provides enough time to do this, and it is essential that no time is lost in making the necessary preparations.
I urge you to convene an urgent cross-party and cross-administration discussion to agree how to use the time we have been given.
I am copying this letter to the First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford.
Prime Minister Theresa May made a statement in Downing Street on Brexit yesterday:
Nearly three years have passed since the public voted to leave the European Union. Continue reading Brexit: PM tells country “I am on your side”
