London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 25, 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
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
×