Full council: Leader's statement on Brexit

Tonight, Haringey held an extraordinary full council meeting to address the impacts expected and our preparations for Brexit.

Here is a statement from Leader of Haringey Council, Cllr Joseph Ejiofor:

The huge uncertainty surrounding Brexit is the biggest issue affecting this country, and it will undoubtedly have impacts on our borough. The Government has not yet established a Brexit agreement, but as time marches on, we in Haringey must prepare to make sure that whatever happens, it works for our residents. Our borough was, after-all, one of London’s highest remain-voting boroughs – 75.6% to 24.4%. Tonight we made a number of resolutions to support our residents and our valuable communities and businesses. If the Government is confident in negotiating a deal that working people, our economy and communities will benefit from, they should not be afraid to put that deal to the public.

Key points from the meeting:

• The UK is due to leave the European Union on March 29, 2019
• The Centre for European Reform estimates that as of June 2018, the UK’s public finances were £23billion a year worse off than they would have been without the possibility of Brexit
• There is a likely negative impact of Brexit on public sector recruitment
• An estimated 42,000 Haringey residents are nationals of another EU member state. This represents almost a sixth of the borough’s population
• Haringey voted 75.6% to 24.4% to remain in the 2016 referendum, which was the fifth highest Remain vote in the country
• Since the Brexit vote there has been a rise in hate crime of 41% reported by the police

The council believes:

• That the post-Brexit arrangements currently being put forward would leave the UK worse off than if it remained an EU member
• That the Government’s negotiations are set to harm the welfare of Haringey residents
• That Government’s Brexit will adversely affect the council’s ability to provide services
• European citizens are an integral part of our diverse community in Haringey and their existing rights should be guaranteed immediately
• That a no-deal Brexit should be rejected as a viable option
• That racism and prejudice has no place in Haringey and the council should mobilise all necessary resources to combat racism and prejudice in all forms from Haringey

The council resolved:

• To support the call for a general election should Parliament vote down a Brexit deal or talks end with a no deal, and if this is not possible, to keep all options on the table, including campaigning for a public vote
• That the leader should write to other London boroughs requesting that they debate their response to the ongoing negotiations soon, if they have not already done so
• To ask the Leader to request from the Government all their information and analysis pertaining to the impacts withdrawal would have on Haringey’s communities and businesses
• To ask the Cabinet to publish a report on contingencies in the event of Britain leaving the EU
• To give a Cabinet Member the responsibility of ensuring the council is adequately prepared for any result in the ongoing Brexit negotiations
• To create a Brexit working group and appoint an EU Citizens Ambassador to work with EU citizens in Haringey and address concerns that they may have
• To highlight the positive impact migration from EU member states has had on Haringey and to affirm the council’s opposition to racism and prejudice in all forms
• To campaign to preserve and improve all workers’ rights which currently have a protection or backstop in EU regulations