Johnson move averts rebellion on bill
The UK government appears to have staved off a rebellion by some of its MPs over its controversial United Kingdom Internal Market Bill, which the EU has said would violate the Withdrawal Agreement it agreed with the UK.
Prime minister Boris Johnson (pictured) has now agreed to amend the bill to give MPs a vote before any parts of the legislation which break international law come into effect.
Resignation
The bill yesterday (16 September) led to the resignation of one of the government’s justice ministers, Lord Keen.
According to the Law Society Gazette of England and Wales, the barrister said he had “found it increasingly difficult to reconcile” his obligations as a lawyer with provisions in the bill.
Last week, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis admitted in the House of Commons that parts of the bill would break the law in a “very specific and limited way”.
As well as angering the EU, the bill has drawn fierce criticism from many Conservative MPs and peers in the House of Lords.