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A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 12 sepTember 2017

UK govt warns of Brexit chaos if lawmakers don’t back bill

By JILL LAWLESS in EU law without the par-
Associated Press liamentary scrutiny usually
LONDON (AP) — Brexit will needed to make or amend
descend into chaos if Brit- legislation. Such powers are
ish lawmakers reject a bill often referred to as “Henry
designed to lay the leg- VIII powers” after the 16th-
islative framework for the century king’s bid to legis-
country’s EU exit, the gov- late by proclamation.
ernment said Monday as it Opponents worry that the
battled to pass a law that Conservative government
opponents have labeled a could use such powers to
“power grab.” water down environmen-
The European Union (With- tal standards, employment
drawal) Bill aims to convert regulations or human rights
around 12,000 EU laws and protections.
regulations into U.K. domes- Labour lawmaker Wayne
tic laws on the day Britain David told the House of
leaves the bloc in March Commons the bill was
2019. “poorly thought out, com-
A vote is due late Monday plex and undemocratic ...
or early Tuesday on the leg- a power grab by this gov-
islation, a key plank in the ernment.” The main opposi-
government’s plans to dis- tion Labor Party and small-
entangle Britain from the er Liberal Democrats both
EU after more than four de- Pro-remain supporters of Britain staying in the EU, pose for photographers wearing EU flag masks say they will vote against
whilst taking part in an anti-Brexit protest outside the Houses of Parliament in London, Monday,
cades of membership. Sept. 11, 2017. Lawmakers are due to vote late Monday or early Tuesday on the European Union the EU withdrawal bill. But it
Brexit Secretary David Davis (Withdrawal) Bill, which aims to convert around 12,000 EU laws and regulations into domestic will pass unless pro-EU law-
said “a vote against this bill statute on the day the country leaves the bloc in March 2019. makers from the governing
is a vote for a chaotic exit (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Conservatives rebel.
from the European Union.” bill is needed to avoid a amended or scrapped by back control” of the coun- Many of them say they will
“The British people did not legislative black hole on Britain’s Parliament. The try from Brussels to London. vote for the bill now and
vote for confusion and nei- the day Britain leaves the government says that will Critics say the bill gives the try to amend it at the next
ther should Parliament,” he EU. It will incorporate all fulfil the promise of anti-EU government worrying pow- stage, when it receives
said. EU laws into U.K. statutes campaigners during last ers, because it allows min- line-by-line scrutiny from
The government says the so they can then be kept, year’s referendum to “take isters to fix “deficiencies” lawmakers.q
Catalan celebration focuses on right to break from Spain

By JOSEPH WILSON which also contains a blue turnout in the regional cap- ings of the Catalan an- more into the central gov-
Associated Press triangle and a white star. ital — estimated by Barce- them “Els Segadors” (The ernment’s coffers than it
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The crowd passed a giant lona’s municipal police at Reapers). At one point, the receives. Nuria Bou, who
Hundreds of thousands of banner calling for a seces- 1 million — was a show of crowd shouted in unison: wore a pro-independence
people packed the sunny sion referendum overhead. strength that would add “Independencia!” — Inde- flag tied around her neck
streets of downtown Barce- This year’s annual celebra- momentum to their cause. pendence! The symbolic like a cape, said she hoped
lona on Monday to cele- tion came amid growing “Today we have said loud moment came after orga- she would get a chance to
brate Catalonia’s national excitement and tension and clear that no orders nizers counted down over vote. “We don’t have any-
day, an anniversary that over the independence from any court will stop us,” a public address system to thing against Spaniards,”
provided a stage for the vote planned for Oct. 1. Jordi Sanchez, head of the 5.14 p.m., which on a 24- Bou said. “But for many
many Catalans who hope Spain’s constitutional court grassroots movement As- hour clock is 1714. years the Spanish govern-
to vote within weeks for the has suspended the referen- semblea Nacional Catala- That’s the year indepen- ment has been making
region’s independence dum while it considers its le- na, said in a speech to the dence supporters regard cuts to the funds we re-
from Spain. gality, but Catalan leaders crowd. While the standoff as the point when Cata- ceive, and what we want is
The Spanish city’s broad, say they will go ahead with between Barcelona and lonia lost much of the self- to govern ourselves.”
tree-lined boulevards were it anyway. Madrid is creating divi- governing power it enjoyed Miquel Puig, 41, a pro-inde-
a sea of yellow T-shirts that Spain’s national govern- sions, the good-humored for centuries. pendence Barcelona resi-
evoked the yellow-and-red ment, based in Madrid, is celebration attended by Among the comparatively dent who runs a language
striped Catalan flag. Many doing all it can to stop the families produced no signs wealthy region’s grievanc- school, wore a T-shirt read-
participants carried the ballot, which it says is illegal. of conflict. es is that because it ac- ing “Ara es l’hora,” which
pro-independence flag, Catalan independence Participants sang and counts for a fifth of Spain’s translates to “Now is the
known as the “estelada,” parties said Monday’s huge clapped along to record- economic output, it pays moment.” q