Bill to rewrite Brexit deal passes first major
hurdle
Boris Johnson’s contentious bill, which breaks
international law, still faces further potential amendments.
By ANDREW
MCDONALD 9/15/20, 1:20 AM CET Updated 9/15/20, 1:22 AM CET
https://www.politico.eu/article/internal-market-bill-to-rewrite-brexit-deal-passes-boris-johnson/
LONDON — A
controversial bill that would rewrite elements of the Brexit Withdrawal
Agreement passed its first parliamentary hurdle in the U.K. House of Commons
Monday, despite a small Conservative rebellion.
Sections of
the Internal Market Bill will override crucial aspects of the agreement with
Brussels on Northern Ireland and state aid. Cabinet Minister Brandon Lewis
admitted last week that the proposals break international law. The government
has justified the legislation as essential to ensuring unfettered trade between
the four nations of the U.K. But the plans have also sparked outrage from the
European Union.
A small
group of big names in Boris Johnson's Conservative Party from previous
governments, as well as rebellious new MPs and backbench misfits, refused to
support the bill, citing concerns about breaking international law. Most in the
group chose to abstain rather than risk the wrath of the prime minister's
administration, which had been reportedly considering sanctioning MPs who voted
against the bill by removing their party whips, effectively expelling them from
the party.
Former
Chancellor Sajid Javid and ex-legal chief Geoffrey Cox were among those to say
beforehand that they could not support the unamended legislation.
Regardless,
the bill passed easily at second reading, with 340 votes for and 263 against.
An attempt by the opposition Labour Party to reject the bill through an
amendment was also easily defeated with a government majority of 136.
The bill
now faces further amendment votes starting next week, with one proposed change
to require that parliament approve any future decision not to apply the
Northern Ireland protocol. Some of those who abstained Monday did so in the
hope the government could be forced into backing this amendment.
Monday
night's vote followed a grueling five-hour debate on the Commons floor, opened
by the prime minister.
Johnson
defended the bill, saying it was necessary to backtrack on the Withdrawal
Agreement as the EU had refused to take the "revolver off the table"
in future relationship talks.
"In
recent months, the EU has suggested that it is willing to go to extreme and
unreasonable lengths ... to exert leverage against the U.K. in our negotiations
for a free-trade agreement," Johnson told MPs.
He added
that "the intention of this bill is clearly to stop any such use of the
stick against this country."
Former
Labour leader Ed Miliband stood in for the party's current head, Keir Starmer,
to lead opposition questioning, beginning with a long speech lambasting the
"incompetence" and "failure of governance."
"I
congratulate him on having, in just one short year, united his five
predecessors," Miliband said of Johnson, referring to the former prime
ministers who have criticized the plans.
"Unfortunately,
their point of agreement is that he is trashing the reputation of this country
and trashing the reputation of his office ... There is one rule for the British
public and another rule for this government."
Johnson
left the chamber after Miliband's speech, with many commentators pointing out
that he had looked visibly uncomfortable throughout.
He did not
stay to hear Tory MP Charles Walker warn Johnson that after a summer of
discontent for the party's backbenchers, "If you keep whacking a dog,
don't be surprised if it bites back."
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