Sir Bob Neill, chairman of the justice committee, tabled an amendment on Tuesday that would require “parliamentary approval for the entry into force of any provisions” of the legislation, which would unilaterally break Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland at the risk of trade of war. with the EU. Neil’s proposal will effectively introduce a “meaningful vote” for lawmakers before Johnson can use his powers in the bill, which has sparked controversy over allegations that it violates international law. Nicki da Costa, a former No. 10 legislative adviser, suggested that this would mean “meaningful voting is back” – a reference to Theresa May’s need for parliament to vote in favor of her Brexit agreement before it is approved. Dozens of Tories, including May, abstained from voting on the Johnson bill in its second reading, but it is unclear how many would support Neil’s bid for parliamentary approval in the next round of legislation in the House of Commons. Neil’s amendment may also not be enough to satisfy the Labor Party, whose shadow foreign minister, David Lamy, said the bill was illegal and would tarnish the UK’s international reputation as a guardian of the law. The legislation is now being debated in more detail at its committee stage in the House of Commons, which is an opportunity for MPs to amend the proposed bill before the summer recess. He will then be transferred to the House of Lords, where there is great concern about the bill. The vote in the House of Lords is not expected until October, but top colleagues have warned that even if the Nile amendment is approved, it is unlikely to be enough to satisfy critics who worry the law would violate international law. Peter Hein, a Labor Party ally and former Northern Ireland secretary, said: “It will go nowhere to meet the needs that are likely to be demanded of the Lords on a cross-cutting basis. I do not think it approaches the issue. “There is the whole issue of international law and its violation, which has its arms crossed – former supreme court judges and others – at gunpoint. “The whole legislation is whistling the Tories base despite a serious approach to negotiation.” However, a Labor source in the House of Lords warned that it was not certain that there were enough Labor, Liberal Democrats, guerrillas and Tories to block the bill, as Johnson has appointed more allies in the upper house in recent years. Subscribe to the First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7 p.m. BST. The second reading of the bill on Monday was the first opportunity for lawmakers to vote on the proposals – which, according to Foreign Minister Liz Tras, were “legal and necessary”. Johnson predicted earlier Monday that the laws could be passed “fairly quickly” and be in the statute books by the end of the year. But if the Lords make changes or try to block the bill completely, it could be another year until the legislation enters the statute. This is due to the fact that the government will have to implement the law of Parliament, which imposes a bill without the permission of the Lords after one year.
