Theresa May faces first Brexit bill defeat

TIL Desk/World/London-Prime Minister Theresa May has faced her first parliamentary defeat over Brexit after Britain’s upper house voted to amend and thereby delay a bill empowering her to begin talks for the UK’s exit from the EU. The House of Lords voted yesterday 358 to 256 for an amendment requiring ministers to protect the rights of EU nationals based in the UK following Brexit.

However, the government’s defeat in the Lords could prove a symbolic one as MPs can remove the amendment when it comes back to the House of Commons. The Department for Exiting the EU said: “We are disappointed the Lords have chosen to amend a bill that the Commons passed without amendment.”The bill has a straightforward purpose – to enact the referendum result and allow the government to get on with the negotiations.”

May has said that any guarantee of the rights of EU nationals must be part of a deal protecting UK expats overseas. The amendment backed by the Lords requires the government to introduce proposals within three months of Article 50 to ensure EU citizens in the UK have the same residence rights after Brexit.