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Brexit bill: MPs urged to reject Lords changes | Brexit bill: MPs urged to reject Lords changes |
(35 minutes later) | |
MPs have been urged to reject changes to the Brexit bill made by peers as they debate it for a second time. | MPs have been urged to reject changes to the Brexit bill made by peers as they debate it for a second time. |
The House of Lords wants to guarantee the rights of EU citizens and ensure Parliament has a vote on any deal. | The House of Lords wants to guarantee the rights of EU citizens and ensure Parliament has a vote on any deal. |
Brexit Secretary David Davis said a "no strings attached" bill would strengthen the UK's hand - but Labour said he was "obsessed with passing a clean bill". | Brexit Secretary David Davis said a "no strings attached" bill would strengthen the UK's hand - but Labour said he was "obsessed with passing a clean bill". |
The EU Withdrawal Bill could complete its final stages if both Houses of Parliament agree the text of the bill. | The EU Withdrawal Bill could complete its final stages if both Houses of Parliament agree the text of the bill. |
Prime Minister Theresa May could then theoretically trigger Article 50, which formally starts the Brexit process, as early as Tuesday. | Prime Minister Theresa May could then theoretically trigger Article 50, which formally starts the Brexit process, as early as Tuesday. |
But the BBC's chief political correspondent Vicki Young said she had been told it would not happen this week and the prime minister was expected to wait until the end of the month to officially notify the EU of the UK's intention to leave. | But the BBC's chief political correspondent Vicki Young said she had been told it would not happen this week and the prime minister was expected to wait until the end of the month to officially notify the EU of the UK's intention to leave. |
Both the House of Commons and House of Lords will debate and vote on the bill on Monday. MPs will go first, and if they reverse the Lords changes it will be passed back to peers to decide whether they want to go against the government's plans again. | Both the House of Commons and House of Lords will debate and vote on the bill on Monday. MPs will go first, and if they reverse the Lords changes it will be passed back to peers to decide whether they want to go against the government's plans again. |
The bill travels back and forth between the two chambers until both sides agree - Parliament could sit through the night to try to reach an agreement, and time has also been set aside on Tuesday and Wednesday. | The bill travels back and forth between the two chambers until both sides agree - Parliament could sit through the night to try to reach an agreement, and time has also been set aside on Tuesday and Wednesday. |
Once it is agreed, the bill will go for Royal Assent, after which Mrs May can formally tell the rest of the EU that she is ready to start negotiating. | Once it is agreed, the bill will go for Royal Assent, after which Mrs May can formally tell the rest of the EU that she is ready to start negotiating. |
Vicki Young said that although ten Tory MPs could defy the government, she thought it likely that MPs would overturn the Lords' amendments to the bill, and did not expect peers to try to block the bill any further. | |
This could mean it was all "done and dusted by midnight" on Monday, she said. | This could mean it was all "done and dusted by midnight" on Monday, she said. |
'Quick deal' | 'Quick deal' |
Opening Monday's debate, Brexit Secretary David Davis said MPs had already approved the bill "without any strings attached" and putting it into law "without further delay" would enable the negotiations to begin. | |
He said the government was committed to a "quick deal" on the rights of EU residents, but insisted guarantees must be reciprocal. Parliament, he added, would have many opportunities to scrutinise and vote on key issues during the "long democratic process" of EU withdrawal. | He said the government was committed to a "quick deal" on the rights of EU residents, but insisted guarantees must be reciprocal. Parliament, he added, would have many opportunities to scrutinise and vote on key issues during the "long democratic process" of EU withdrawal. |
He repeated the government's verbal assurances that both Houses would have a vote on any Brexit deal, but warned that while the Lords amendment "has been badged as a meaningful vote, the reality is there are some who would seek to use this to overturn the result of the referendum". | |
"We will not have anything that will put the intention to leave the EU in doubt," he told MPs. | "We will not have anything that will put the intention to leave the EU in doubt," he told MPs. |
But he was pressed by a number of Tory MPs over the exact nature of the parliamentary vote they've been promised. Former minister Anna Soubry said it was "perverse" that if the UK and EU were not able to agree a deal at all, that Parliament would not be "entitled" to pass its judgement. | |
"I would urge the government, for the sake of bringing unity to the country at large, that they allow Parliament's sovereignty to reign and in the event of no deal we have a vote and a say," she said. | |
For Labour, shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer said there was a "compelling case" to give EU residents the certainty they deserved right now. | |
"Labour supports this amendment not only because it is the right thing do in principle but passing it tonight would set the right tone ahead of the negotiations," he said. | "Labour supports this amendment not only because it is the right thing do in principle but passing it tonight would set the right tone ahead of the negotiations," he said. |
Former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg accused ministers of "shameful inaction" on the issue, while the SNP's Stephen Gethins said the question of the future of EU residents "went to the heart of what kind of country we want to be" and warned MPs not to hand the government a "blank cheque" in upcoming talks. | |
"I am not sure I would trust this government to run a bath or a bidet let alone a very complex set of negotiations," he added. | |
Mrs May has said Parliament will get a vote, but some MPs and peers want a stronger commitment to give them a more "meaningful" say - and to be able to potentially send her back to the negotiating table in Brussels. | Mrs May has said Parliament will get a vote, but some MPs and peers want a stronger commitment to give them a more "meaningful" say - and to be able to potentially send her back to the negotiating table in Brussels. |
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told ITV's Peston on Sunday that "no deal" would be "perfectly OK", and the consequences were not "as apocalyptic as some people like to pretend". | Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told ITV's Peston on Sunday that "no deal" would be "perfectly OK", and the consequences were not "as apocalyptic as some people like to pretend". |
Mrs May has said she would rather take the UK out of the EU with no deal rather than a "bad deal". | Mrs May has said she would rather take the UK out of the EU with no deal rather than a "bad deal". |
No deal would result in trade rules defaulting to World Trade Organisation standards, meaning the UK and EU would be obliged to apply to each other the tariffs and other trade restrictions they apply to the rest of the world. | No deal would result in trade rules defaulting to World Trade Organisation standards, meaning the UK and EU would be obliged to apply to each other the tariffs and other trade restrictions they apply to the rest of the world. |