London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Sep 04, 2025

Boris's controversial Brexit Bill dealt another crushing defeat

Boris's controversial Brexit Bill dealt another crushing defeat

The Government’s controversial Brexit Bill has been dealt a crushing blow, after peers rejected a bid to give ministers power to break international law.

In the first of a series of votes on stripping law-breaking powers from the Internal Market Bill, the Government has been heavily defeated in the House of Lords by 433 to 165, with a majority 268.

A No 10 spokesperson said they were ‘disappointed’ that peers had voted to remove the clauses from the Bill and vowed to reinstate them in the Commons. It is the second time controversial elements of the Bill have been rejected.



The Bill, which has received significant cross-party backlash, seeks to override key elements of the Withdrawal Agreement made with Brussels – breaking international law in the process.

Ministers defending the Bill argue that the powers are needed to protect Great Britain’s relationship with Northern Ireland, amid concerns that Brussels could try to disrupt food goods travelling between the two as part of trade talks.

A No 10 spokesperson added: ‘We’ve been consistently clear that the clauses represent a legal safety net to protect the integrity of the UK’s internal market and the huge gains of the peace process.

Theresa May insists she will not vote for controversial Brexit legislation

‘We expect the House of Lords to recognise that we have an obligation to the people of Northern Ireland to make sure they continue to have unfettered access to the UK under all circumstances.’

All living former prime ministers have criticised the legislation, with Sir John Major saying it had ‘damaged our reputation around the world’ and accused Mr Johnson of a ‘wretched betrayal’.

Sir John launched a blistering attack on the PM and said ‘our bombast, our blustering, our threats and our inflexibility’ could leave the UK with no deal at all.

In a pre-recorded lecture to Middle Temple on Monday evening, he said: ‘Lawyers everywhere are incredulous that the UK – often seen as the very cradle of the Rule of Law – could give themselves the power to break the law.

‘Moreover, at a moment when we need to maximise our commercial activities, this Bill has had a corrosive impact on the reputation of English and Welsh jurisdiction.

‘This may have a practical cost. International dispute resolution can be conducted anywhere overseas and the Bill could erode the present pre-eminent position of the UK and, perhaps, especially London.’


The Bill has been heavily criticised for ‘damaging’ the UK’s reputation


President-elect Joe Biden is likely to be watching the fallout closely, as he has previously warned about Northern Ireland’s Good Friday Agreement becoming a ‘casualty’ of Brexit.

Mr Johnson is yet to speak to Mr Biden, who is of Irish descent, but he is said to be concerned about the impact of Brexit and previously branded the PM a ‘clone’ of Donald Trump.

Mr Biden is scheduled to have his first call with Mr Johnson in the coming days, during which he will stress his concerns over the protection of the Good Friday Agreement, reported the Financial Times.

Earlier on Monday, Brussels’ chief negotiator Michel Barnier held further talks with British officials in London with just weeks to go until the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Johnson’s predecessor, Theresa May who was heavily involved in Brexit negotiations during her premiership, previously said the Bill would do ‘untold damage’ to the future of the UK.

The former Conservative prime minister accused her party of acting ‘recklessly and irresponsibly’ and that the nation’s values and reputation have been ‘tarnished’.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Queen Camilla’s Teenage Courage: Fended Off Attempted Assault on London Train, New Biography Reveals
Scottish Brothers Set Record in Historic Pacific Row
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
×