we have to be clear is that the UK
government is saying at the moment that
it has no intention to to dilute to
rights and that the EU legislation will
be domesticated so that's the first
thing that we need to say however there
are I think particular concerns amongst
feminists and human rights activists and
academics about moving from a situation
in which those rights are embedded in
which there is redress to the European
Court of Justice and domestic
legislation which can be altered
there are ways in which the government I
think could build confidence so for
example we've had women's organisations
and indeed statutory bodies like the
Equality and Human Rights Commission who
have asked the government to guarantee
that it will not use delegated powers to
amend or reduce such legislation the
government has refused to date - to give
those guarantees it is also this this
Lobby has also asked for example that
was a constitutional right to equality
going forward again the government has
refused to include that within the EU
withdrawal bill which is currently going
through the parliaments so I think that
you're in a position where you've you've
got if you like a statement that that
rights are safe but nothing to underpin
that at the same time as you're losing
as I say this backdrop which the EU
provides so we're dealing with the
situation of an of real uncertainty but
which the the vast weight of expert
commentary is saying that the UK will
have more austerity will have a sort of
huge economic shock now what we know is
that equality and human rights
and protections and work around gender
equality is often quite fair weather
policy so when you're in a position of
economic crisis the things that are so
important for women are often seen as
luxuries so I think that there is a very
real danger that what we will see are
women's rights and protections traded
it's hard to give a really positive
scenario given the weight of evidence
about the kind of economic social and
political shock that brexit will be and
a self-imposed one for the UK so I think
it is quite hard to be optimistic but I
think we also know that any period of
restructuring and upheaval does open up
windows of opportunities and what we do
have are as I say very creative
dedicated campaigners who will look to
spot where there is a possibility to
advance or at the very least protect the
agenda
