May facing 59 pages of challenges to Brexit bill

Politics: Second reading passes but rebel Tories and Labour serve notice

Theresa May faces a titanic battle over her flagship Brexit bill, after scores of amendments were tabled within hours of it passing its first parliamentary hurdle.

A total of 157 amendments to the EU (Withdrawal) bill, covering 59 pages, were published, including many from senior Conservative europhiles.

The bill cleared its second reading in the House of Commons by a margin of 36 in the early hours of yesterday, after a mooted rebellion by Remain-backing Tories failed to materialise and seven Labour MPs rebelled against Jeremy Corbyn to vote with the government.

But the raft of changes proposed by Tories, including former ministers Kenneth Clarke, Dominic Grieve, Nicky Morgan and Anna Soubry, serves notice on the prime minister that she faces a rough ride in the rest of the bill’s passage through parliament.

MPs have approved a timetable guaranteeing 64 hours of debate in the following stage, when the bill will be scrutinised line by line and votes taken on proposed amendments.

But justice secretary David Lidington said the Government was “willing to consider” giving more time if there is “good reason”.

The bill will transpose relevant EU law on to the UK statute book on the day of Brexit.

Labour has tabled a raft of amendments designed to curb the Government’s use of so-called “Henry VIII powers” that allow reforms to be passed with little parliamentary scrutiny. It also wants to secure protection on human rights and environmental standards.

Labour said the vote result was “deeply disappointing” and the Liberal Democrats described it as “a dark day for the mother of parliaments”.

Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said: “This bill is an affront to parliamentary democracy and a naked power grab by government ministers.

“It leaves rights unprotected, it silences parliament on key decisions and undermines the devolution settlement.”

“This bill is an affront to parliamentary democracy”