London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Nov 09, 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
Tom Cruise Arrives by Helicopter at UK Scientology Fundraiser Amid Local Protests
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson Face Fresh UK Probes Amid Royal Fallout
Mothers Link Teen Suicides to AI Chatbots in Growing Legal Battle
UK Government to Mirror Denmark’s Tough Immigration Framework in Major Policy Shift
UK Government Turns to Denmark-Style Immigration Reforms to Overhaul Border Rules
UK Chancellor Warned Against Cutting Insulation Funding as Budget Looms
UK Tenant Complaints Hit Record Levels as Rental Sector Faces Mounting Pressure
Apple to Pay Google About One Billion Dollars Annually for Gemini AI to Power Next-Generation Siri
UK Signals Major Shift as Nuclear Arms Race Looms
BBC’s « Celebrity Traitors UK » Finale Breaks Records with 11.1 Million Viewers
UK Spy Case Collapse Highlights Implications for UK-Taiwan Strategic Alignment
On the Road to the Oscars? Meghan Markle to Star in a New Film
A Vote Worth a Trillion Dollars: Elon Musk’s Defining Day
AI Researchers Claim Human-Level General Intelligence Is Already Here
President Donald Trump Challenges Nigeria with Military Options Over Alleged Christian Killings
Nancy Pelosi Finally Announces She Will Not Seek Re-Election, Signalling End of Long Congressional Career
UK Pre-Budget Blues and Rate-Cut Concerns Pile Pressure on Pound
ITV Warns of Nine-Per-Cent Drop in Q4 Advertising Revenue Amid Budget Uncertainty
National Grid Posts Slightly Stronger-Than-Expected Half-Year Profit as Regulatory Investments Drive Growth
UK Business Lobby Urges Reeves to Break Tax Pledges and Build Fiscal Headroom
UK to Launch Consultation on Stablecoin Regulation on November 10
UK Savers Rush to Withdraw Pension Cash Ahead of Budget Amid Tax-Change Fears
Massive Spoilers Emerge from MAFS UK 2025: Couple Swaps, Dating App Leaks and Reunion Bombshells
Kurdish-led Crime Network Operates UK Mini-Marts to Exploit Migrants and Sell Illicit Goods
UK Income Tax Hike Could Trigger £1 Billion Cut to Scotland’s Budget, Warns Finance Secretary
Tommy Robinson Acquitted of Terror-related Charge After Phone PIN Dispute
Boris Johnson Condemns Western Support for Hamas at Jewish Community Conference
HII Welcomes UK’s Westley Group to Strengthen AUKUS Submarine Supply Chain
Tragedy in Serbia: Coach Mladen Žižović Collapses During Match and Dies at 44
Diplo Says He Dated Katy Perry — and Justin Trudeau
Dick Cheney, Former U.S. Vice President, Dies at 84
Trump Calls Title Removal of Andrew ‘Tragic Situation’ Amid Royal Fallout
UK Bonds Rally as Chancellor Reeves Briefs Markets Ahead of November Budget
UK Report Backs Generational Smoking Ban Ahead of Tobacco & Vapes Bill Review
UK’s Domino’s Pizza Group Reports Modest Like-for-Like Sales Growth in Q3
UK Supplies Additional Storm Shadow Missiles to Ukraine as Trump Alleges Russian Underground Nuclear Tests
High-Profile Broodmare Puca Sells for Five Million Dollars at Fasig-Tipton ‘Night of the Stars’
Wilt Chamberlain’s One-of-a-Kind ‘Searcher 1’ Supercar Heads to Auction
Erling Haaland’s Remarkable Run: 13 Premier League Goals in 10 Matches and Eyes on History
UK Labour Peer Warns of Emerging ‘Constituency for Hating Jews’ in Britain
UK Home Secretary Admits Loss of Border Control, Warns Public Trust at Risk
President Trump Expresses Sympathy for UK Royal Family After Title Stripping of Prince Andrew
Former Prince Andrew to Lose His Last Military Title as King Charles Moves to End His Public Role
King Charles Relocates Andrew to Sandringham Estate and Strips Titles Amid Epstein Fallout
Two Arrested After Mass Stabbing on UK Train Leaves Ten Hospitalised
Glamour UK Says ‘Stay Mad Jo x’ After Really Big Rowling Backlash
Former Prince Prince Andrew Faces Possible U.S. Congressional Appearance Over Jeffrey Epstein Inquiry
UK Faces £20 Billion Productivity Shortfall as Brexit’s Impact Deepens
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves Eyes New Council-Tax Bands for High-Value Homes
UK Braces for Major Storm with Snow, Heavy Rain and Winds as High as 769 Miles Wide
×