By Tony O’Riley-
British MPs have dramatically voted to reinstate controversial sections of a new law permitting ministers to override sections of the UK’s Brexit divorce deal.
MPs today overturned a recent decision by The House Of Lords to take out those powers to override the provisions in law.
The vote is believed to have the potential to jeopardise the ongoing talks on a post-Brexit trade deal.
Ministers agreed to remove clauses which would displace agreements with the EU relating to goods moving between Britain and Northern Ireland and subsidies for Northern Irish firms.
Three Tory MPs rebelled to vote against the government, and 12 others abstained. Ministers insist the provisions are essential to protect the Good Friday Agreement in the event no trade deal is struck with Brussels by the end of the transition period on 31 December.
The draft legislation will now be sent back to the House of Lords, beginning what is known as “ping pong” – when the two chambers do not back down to the other’s amendments.
The prime minister is due to travel to Brussels later this week in a last-ditch effort to break the deadlock in talks over a trade deal with European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen,
UK and EU negotiators are currently trying to reach an agreement before the UK stops following EU trading rules on 31 December.
Downing Street said it was committed to the full implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol in a “pragmatic, proportionate way which recognises Northern Ireland’s place in the UK’s customs territory, and upholds the Good Friday Agreement in all its dimensions”.
“If the solutions being considered in those discussions are agreed, the UK government would be prepared to remove clause 44 of the UK Internal Market Bill, concerning export declarations,” it added.
“The UK government would also be prepared to deactivate clauses 45 and 47, concerning state aid, such that they could be used only when consistent with the UK’s rights and obligations under international law.”
Boris Johnson will travel to Brussels for a face-to-face summit with the European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen,
A long-awaited crunch meeting will be held in the “coming days”, the two leaders said in a joint statement
Image:news.sky.com