Truss promises to slash EU red tape – what’s the truth behind the rhetoric?

Liz Truss who has vowed to review all EU laws retained after Brexit by the end of next year, and to scrap or replace those that are deemed to hinder UK growth. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA

Liz Truss has promised to “consign to history” all EU red tape within the next year, axing to up to 2,400 laws on British statute books.

It was not just party conference rhetoric. Her government is planning to pass legislation to give itself the power to simply switch off 40 years of EU harmonisation legislation at the stroke of midnight 31 December 2023. No list of laws targeted has been published.