The government has proposed plans to make changes to U.K. law post-Brexit using so-called ‘Henry VIII powers’.
In 1539, the ‘Statute of Proclamations’ gave the then King power to legislate by proclamation. Opposition parties have vehemently protested such plans, with the left-wing Labour party insisting this would hand the government “sweeping powers” to make rash and poorly judged legislative decisions.
Government officials have sought to play down concerns from critics, arguing that decisions would be time limited and not used in order to make policy changes.
The government has projected that around 1,000 measures, called statutory instruments, would be required to make sure the bill functions correctly.
