London: Members of Britain’s upper house of parliament said yesterday they would try to attach conditions to legislation giving Prime Minister Theresa May the power to trigger the country’s exit from the European Union.
On Wednesday, May won approval from parliament’s lower chamber for the legislation. The upper chamber, the House of Lords, is due to begin debating the bill on Feb. 20.
The fact the bill passed through House of Commons without amendment has raised expectations it will enjoy an equally smooth passage in House of Lords, where May’s Conservatives do not have a majority.
One amendment put forward by opposition party the Liberal Democrats, calling for a second referendum on the final Brexit deal, has the backing of House of Lords members from both the main opposition Labour Party and May’s Conservatives.
“The Liberal Democrats will fight to ensure that the Brexit Bill does not get rubber-stamped through the House of Lords. It is our job to scrutinise legislation and we will not be silenced in the Lords,” Dick Newby, Liberal Democrat leader in the Lords said in a statement.
The Liberal Democrats have also put forward a second amendment which would require the government to guarantee the rights of EU citizens resident in Britain and British citizens living elsewhere in the EU.
Other amendments proposed by peers from Labour and Welsh party Plaid Cymru include those requiring a commitment from government to seek to retain membership of EU’s single market and to give parliament approval of final Brexit deal.
Peers are also seeking to require the government to give parliament regular updates on negotiations and to maintain an open border between the Irish republic and Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said there was no need for “destructive” negotiations on Britain’s withdrawal from the EU, after talks with Prime Minister Theresa May.
“We are aware of the fact that the negotiations will not be easy,” Gentiloni said at a joint press conference at May’s Downing Street office.
“We also know, and this will be certainly the Italian attitude, that we need to show a constructive and friendly approach.
“There is absolutely no point in having a destructive negotiation between the EU and the UK.”
The two leaders discussed the issue of the post-Brexit status of EU citizens living in Britain, alongside the question of migration into Europe, counter-terrorism and the challenge of Russia.
