Stroud based Molly Scott Cato is the Green Party’s financial spokesman, an economist and an environmental activist who is the current MEP for South West England

A PICTURE is beginning to emerge of how the Government is approaching the Brexit process.

But without leaks, whistle-blowers and careless civil servants we would still know next to nothing.

It seems the Government would prefer parliament and the public to be left in the dark on post-Brexit plans and the implications of a hard Brexit.

This week civil service documents photographed on a train suggest that the Government plans to ‘scale down its concern over climate change and the trade in illegal wildlife’ after leaving the EU in order to secure new post-Brexit trade deals.

This shows our worst fears are being realised: this is a government that is willing to sacrifice our environment – our cleaner beaches, better water quality, protected habitats and wildlife; all protected thanks to EU legislation – on the altar of dodgy trade deals.

Also this week, a leaked document revealed secret government studies into the impact of a hard Brexit, with the Department of Health finding the NHS could be hit by a shortage of more than 40,000 nurses by 2026.

This is thought to be one of dozens of impact assessments carried out by the Government into their chosen extreme Brexit option, which of course includes leaving the single market and customs union.

People have a right to know about the government’s plans post-Brexit and the potential impacts of these plans. They should not be shrouded in secrecy.

Brexit is increasingly looking like a right-wing power grab in which a small cabal of Tories are making all the decisions. Was this what taking back control really meant?

Given the threats of Brexit to our economy and environment; to our rights as workers and consumers, it is becoming clearer by the day that people must be given a say on the post-Brexit Britain the government is seeking to create. That is why, at the end of the two-year article 50 process, Greens have called for a ratification referendum – a chance to vote on the deal agreed between the UK and the EU.

Or is the Government running scared of giving control back to the people in this way?