U.K. Lords Inflict Further Defeat on May Over Key Brexit Bill
- Peers attempt to curb ministers’ power to change regulations
- Upper chamber defeats government by 349 votes to 221
U.K. Might Get a Sweeter Brexit Deal
The U.K.’s upper house defeated Prime Minister Theresa May on her flagship Brexit legislation for the sixth time in eight days, this time attempting to strip ministers of powers she hoped to grant them after Britain quits the European Union.
The House of Lords voted 349 to 221 in favor of an amendment to the government’s European Union (Withdrawal) Bill that would remove the power for ministers to alter regulations returned to British law from EU jurisdiction whenever they deemed it “appropriate.” Instead, changes would be allowed only when “necessary” to allow laws to function as intended. Proposing the motion, the independent peer Robert Rogers, known as Lord Lisvane, said the bill as it stood would give ministers “heavyweight” powers.