OTLEY'S MP has welcomed Labour's decision to oppose the EU Withdrawal Bill.

The party has imposed a three-line whip on its MPs to vote against the 'great repeal bill' on Monday, September 11.

The bill is designed to transfer all EU laws into UK law to ensure a smooth transition when 'Brexit' takes effect.

MP Alex Sobel (Lab, Leeds North West) had already, before the three-line whip was announced, outlined his reasons for opposing the legislation.

He said: "Without the bill there would be a legislative black hole on the day of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.

"But for me there are five ‘red lines’ which make it impossible to support it in its present form.

"The bill gives the Tories powers to pass up to 1,000 pieces of legislation without the need for Parliamentary scrutiny or approval.

"These ‘Henry VIII powers’ the Government are giving themselves are not in keeping with the promise of Parliamentary sovereignty made during the referendum."

Mr Sobel says the bill also says nothing about guaranteeing existing workers’ rights, nor about protecting environmental and safety standards.

He added: "The White Paper makes it clear the Government has no plan for the protection of workers’ rights and no mechanisms to enforce any kind of rights we decide to keep.

"For example, we stand to lose many of the long fought-for environmental protections, such as clean air and carbon emission standards, established under EU law.

"Far from giving UK Parliament more sovereignty, the Tories’ bill will give powers directly to the Government and any laws we do keep will have automatic expiry dates.

"These are just some of the reasons why I will be voting against the bill."