London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2025

UK set to leave EU on January 31 after Brexit bill is passed by House of Lords

Britain is on course to leave the European Union at the end of this month after Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill cleared its final parliamentary hurdle.

The prime minister’s Withdrawal Agreement Bill is set to be given royal assent and become law after it was passed by the House of Lords.

Mr Johnson’s deal still needs to be ratified by the EU Parliament.

However, barring unexpected circumstances, it will enter the statute book and Britain will leave on January 31.

All five amendments made by Peers were reversed by MPs on Wednesday, with majorities ranging from 86 to 103.

The bill had passed with a large majority in the House of Commons after the Conservative Party’s victory in the December election.

It then went to the Lords, where Peers voted in favour of five amendments over two days of debate, leading Mr Johnson’s new government to its first parliamentary defeats.

The amendments included protecting the rights of refugee children to join their families post-Brexit.

Ministers claimed they supported the principle of the Dubs amendment but argued that the Brexit bill was not the right way to do it.

They were also defeated in the House of Lords on issues including EU workers’ right to have physical proof of their right to remain, the power of UK courts to diverge from EU law and the independence of the judiciary after the UK leaves the EU.

However, they were all overturned by the Commons to end the legislative tussle and send the bill to Queen Elizabeth for royal assent.

Brexit minister Lord Callanan claimed the culmination of the parliamentary process represented ‘the end of what seems like a very long road’.

He said: ‘The final stages of this bill represent something which many of us thought might never happen – parliament passing the legislation necessary to implement a Brexit deal and to finally deliver on the 2016 referendum.’

He added: ‘I know many on the benches opposite are disappointed that the Commons has chosen to disagree with all of the amendments that peers passed this week.

‘I would, however, like to reassure peers that their expertise, their contributions will continue to play a valuable role after Brexit.

‘Following our exit, this House will see more legislation on a range of topics connected to the departure from the European Union. In some cases, it will be the first time in decades that the UK has legislated on some of these matters.’

During the debate on Wednesday, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said the government could not accept the Lords amendment on citizens’ rights as it would make the EU Settlement Scheme ‘null and void’.

He said: ‘This amendment would mean the successful EU Settlement Scheme in its current form would need to be abandoned. This is because there would be no need to register if people could later rely on a declaration that they were already in the UK.

‘This would make null and void the 2.8 million applications and the 2.5 million grants of status which have already been completed.’

Mr Barclay added that the amendment would also mean the government was not able to issue ‘more secure’ digital documentation without physical documentation, adding: ‘This would increase the risk of fraud and raises the issue of cost to the Government and citizens.’

Mr Barclay defended the government’s record on child refugees before claiming: ‘Primary legislation cannot deliver the best outcomes for these children as it cannot guarantee that we reach an agreement and that is why this is ultimately a matter which must be negotiated with the EU and the government is committed to seeking the best possible outcome in those negotiations.’

Once the UK leaves the EU, it will enter a transition period where it will follow the bloc’s rules and regulations while the terms of the future relationship are worked out.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
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
×