Lords back Brexit, May set to pull trigger next month
Peers against changes to Bill demanding UK stay in EU single market
London, Feb. 28: British Prime Minister Theresa May crossed the first major hurdle to trigger Brexit in the House of Lords on Monday with the Peers voting against an amendment to the Bill that demanded the UK retains its membership of the European Union single market.
The 229 to 136 vote, a majority of 163, exposed deep divisions within the Labour party, according to The Independent.
In the debate, former business secretary Lord Mandelson warned that it would be an ‘economic disaster” for Britain to leave the single market.
However, opposition frontbencher baroness Hayter of Kentish Town accused supporters of the amendment of offering ‘unrealistic hope” that the UK could stay within the EU’s trading area, the British daily added.
Warning against rerunning the arguments of the referendum campaign, Ms Hayter said that Britain would be recipients of rules set in Brussels if it opted for a Norwegian-style model.
Mr Mandelson hit back saying the UK would be a “senior influential” member of the European Economic Area with influence over rule-making. “I can’t understand why my own frontbench can’t see it,” he said.
The clash came after Supreme Court campaigner Gina Miller had urged the Lords to show “backbone” and push the government into concessions over Brexit. She told The Independent that those debating Ms May’s Article 50 Bill this week must take the lead because the lower house had shown “cowardice” in failing to win any compromise.