As you may know I have been writing and posting pieces on Facebook about the impact of Brexit on our rights. This morning I woke to the news that my Facebook account has been disabled - and therefore am silenced. I'm going through the procedure to have it restored. It seems that the complaint is that I'm not a real person!!!

I had prepared the following post - and if you feel able - can you post you - and by all means make it clear that it is from me - and that someone has sought (albeit temporarily) to silence the legitimate expression of political argument

All the very best

David

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Many of the funders of Brexit have a long record of complaining about the burdens forced on us by the EU. 

Most of us welcome the fact that EU law guarantees women a minimum of 14 weeks maternity leave. 

The 1992 EU Pregnant Workers Directive also gave women the right to take time off work for medical appointments relating to their pregnancy. It placed a duty on employers to look after pregnant women, including putting them on paid leave if the nature of their work was unsuitable during pregnancy – for example, if it was overly physical and potentially dangerous.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has made clear any discrimination towards a woman because of her pregnancy or maternity leave is sexism and should be treated at such. The ECJ also ruled that employers must give women on maternity leave the same contractual rights as they do to other employees, for example by continuing to pay in to pension schemes. 

Well that “burden” could be lifted when the UK leaves the EU.!

If you are serious about protecting rights - what are you doing to stop these rights being lost?

The benefits of EU Membership

At a loss for explaining the benefits of Britain's membership of the EU? Want the facts about the costs of a hard-Brexit (or any Brexit, for that matter)?

Then use this list that I have compiled of useful websites.

FULLFACT - fact-checking site: https://fullfact.org/europe/

INFACTS - https://infacts.org

JOHN McCORMICK’S BENEFITS OF THE EU - http://johnmccormick.eu/benefits-of-the-european-union/

What has the EU Ever Done for Me?

Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/ben-brown/what-has-the-eu-ever-done_b_9262756.html

Independent: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/eu-what-has-european-union-done-for-us-david-cameron-brexit-a6850626.html

New Statesman: http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/03/eu-explainer-easily-bored-what-has-europe-ever-done-me

EPLP: http://www.eurolabour.org.uk/eu-benefits

Patrick Stewart Sketch (The Guardian): https://www.theguardian.com/culture/video/2016/apr/25/patrick-stewart-sketch-what-has-the-echr-ever-done-for-us-video

The New European website is another excellent resource.

Grey Wednesday

Today Mrs May will trigger Article 50, to start the negotiations for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union . I think we may well look back and regard today, perhaps not as "Black Wednesday" (No one has died) - but "Grey Wednesday" - a day on which our country took a wrong turning which brings years of gloom - as we turn our backs on the opportunities that we are now to deny ourselves. We may lose the United Kingdom itself; many jobs; many futures - and impoverish ourselves.

The omens are not good. This was a decision based on assertions of false facts; of promises cynically made - when the makers knew they would never deliver them. It was pushed and funded by the adherents of an ideology which runs counter to the best of British values.

I'm sure that I will not convince anyone to change their mind today. But I would urge all people who care about our future to start thinking seriously about how we restore our fortunes if any of the fears are realised.

If you think we are going down the wrong road - GET INVOLVED. Be part of the decision making processes in our democracy. You don't need to aim to be Theresa May's successor! We need thinking parish councillors; district councillors; county councillors; school governors; leaflet deliverers; social media activists; people who will help their neighbours deal with poor decisions - at whatever level taken - as well as MPs. We need adults who can and will tell children how democracy is supposed to function.

Learn about how our institutions work - and how decisions are made. Visit Parliament; attend a committee meeting or Full Council of your local council. Teach your children and your neighbours about the privileges and duties of citizenship.

[Ten years ago I started my first blog. It was about the workings of the institutions of democracy - and I have used it to assist my students of Constitutional Law; EU Law; British, American & European Politics. Please feel free to visit it - and use the search engine if you want to find out about some aspect or practice of politics and government - It can be found at http://washminster.blogspot.co.uk]