Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
BRITAIN’S GOVERNMENT HAS survived the first parliamentary challenges to its Brexit bill, as MPs began voting on various amendments tabled on the landmark legislation.
Prime Minister Theresa May’s minority government defeated an amendment backed by Welsh and Scottish lawmakers that would have given Britain’s devolved legislatures a veto over any final withdrawal agreement.
It won the vote – the first of many expected in the coming days and weeks as lawmakers debate some of the hundreds of amendments put forward – by a comfortable majority.
MPs also voted to keep the opening clause of the law, repealing the 1972 European Communities Act that took Britain into the bloc.
But May’s government, rocked by a string of scandals that forced out two ministers this month and divided by Brexit, faces potential defeats on other amendments ahead.
Earlier, lawmakers had their first chance to scrutinise the EU Withdrawal Bill, which would formally legislate for the end Britain’s membership and transpose four decades of European Union legislation into UK law.
They fired the opening salvos in what is expected to be a fraught parliamentary battle, with a heated debate on the date Britain leaves the EU — and whether to use London or Brussels time.
Legal certainty
MPs debated one of the government’s own motions — to enshrine in law the moment Britain leaves the EU as March 29, 2019 at 11pm in London and midnight in Brussels — but were not voting on the matter today.
In a bizarre twist, opposition Labour MP Frank Field proposed his own rival amendment to set the departure point one hour later at the start of March 30, 2019, but later withdrew it amid a lack of support.
Meanwhile a number of May’s own Conservative MPs oppose putting any date on the bill, saying it risks binding the government’s hands in negotiations with the EU.
Britain triggered the two-year Article 50 process of leaving the EU on March 29 this year, but this can be extended if all 28 EU member states including Britain agree.
Former finance minister Ken Clarke, a committed pro-European, said it would be “utterly foolish” not to leave this option open, however unlikely many commentators view it.
The bill — also known as the Repeal Bill — is intended to ensure legal certainty and avoid a damaging “cliff-edge” when Britain leaves the bloc.
But critics warn it represents a power-grab by allowing ministers to amend EU laws as they are transferred, while others see it as a chance to shape May’s Brexit policy.
May weakened
MPs also debated a Labour amendment — one of almost 200 pages tabled — to extend the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice into a post-Brexit transition period.
A vote on that amendment was expected late today.
The government said it wants an implementation period of around two years after Brexit — but insists Britain will be fully out of the EU by then.
The showdown comes as May, weakened by a June snap election in which she lost her parliamentary majority, struggles to assert her authority even over her own cabinet.
Two ministers have quit in the past fortnight — one over sleaze allegations, the other accused of effectively running her own foreign policy.
Two others, including leading eurosceptic Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, are reportedly instructing May how to run Brexit.
She is also under increasing pressure from Brussels to come up with a financial offer to keep negotiations on track, with a crunch summit of EU leaders looming in mid-December.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon meanwhile has warned she will seek to block the bill unless changes are made to devolve more of the powers returned from Brussels.
“We oppose Brexit but we understand withdrawal legislation is necessary, so we want to find agreement,” Sturgeon said after talks with May.
The Withdrawal Bill as it stands would not be acceptable and we would not be able to recommend approval of that.
A spokeswoman for May’s office said the prime minister stressed that as powers were repatriated from Brussels back to Britain, a significant number would be passed down to the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
well as long as DOB doesn’t get it,
He may be a friend of DOB, some digging needs to be to be done on this,and not the water meter kind.
Guess who does all the UPC installations
Do you have Sky or UPC. Doesn’t make a difference actually becuase they work for both company’s along with the ESB. Does this mean now that you are going to cut off your electricity becuase of the dreaded Dennis O Briens company works for them.
What’s your point Henry? The man has got his fingers stuck in as many pies as possible. He was deemed corrupt by the Moriarty Tribunal. We are entitled to shout “Stop”.
If Liberty want to buy it, it has to be passed by the regulator but if DOB Wants to buy it, it doesn’t ??
Where does it say that it doesn’t have to be passed to the regulator if INM buys it? Surely that would be MORE likely to happen given INM already own such a large array of media outlets?
Where does it say it does have to be passed.
They bought Tv3 for 265m in 2006. 265 million. LoL.
upc has to have the worst customer service I have ever encountered. they might as well just call over and slap you in tbe face. between 9 and 1 and 1 a d 6 of course
I am sure Denis O’Brien will get first shout as is normal when doing business in Ireland.
Anyone but Dob
all assets should be seized from d o Brien, and he should be banned from this country.
Hope this is the case as DOB also has his eyes set on tv3 also reports are saying
It pays to read the whole article before commenting…
“Meanwhile, Independent News and Media (INM), in which billionaire Denis O’Brien is the biggest shareholder, has also been flagged as a possible TV3 buyer after the company said it planned to spend up to €100 million on acquisitions.
However the media company has since described the move as “highly unlikely” and added there hadn’t been any talks between INM and TV3′s owners.”
If INM have €100m to spend and TV3 was worth €265m in 2006, it seems unlikely they’d be able to afford it?
I can proudly say, I don’t watch anything on that awful channel. TV at its absolute worst.
It’s better than utv
Only slightly. Utv Ireland is terrible though.
Denis O Brien already has too much power
John Malone is as bad as DOB! Why the sudden interest in tv3 you may ask? It’s the only tv station that is not run with a hidden agenda and is not controlled by the powers to be! The main reason TV3 is wanted is because of Vincent Browne! He is outspoken has no axe to grind and puts irish politicians through their paces! The rest of the media are just a front for the government and the powers to be to tell the people only what they need to hear and hide the reality of what is really going on! As I said JM and DOB are of the same breed! Nuff said!!
surely DOB shouldn’t be allowed to acquire this … narrowing competition etc.
Did you read the article? INM are not looking to purchase tv3.
I hope Donald Trump buys it, fires Vincent brown an replaces him with a syndication of Glenn Beck’s show.
Vincent Browne is the single best thing about TV3. He’s rare in Irish journalism in that he treats politicians of all parties (and none) in the same manner.
trump tv. it will just be about barac obama and weather he is an american citizen. right wing news glenn beck the guy who tries to legitimise the war on Palestine. no thank you between thegun loving texas ranger and the zionist. jesus they would do your head in give me Vincent Brown any day of the week no hidden agenda.
Dreadful TV station. Either that or the programmes are not aimed at my geographic. Most people I know don’t watch TV anyway. They are all over the Internet. The television era is coming to an end. The golden age has been way behind us for some time now. All things must pass.
Sell it might get soaps in HD
That sentence makes no sense!
TV3? …is that still on – air? ?
have your say