Lords set up new Brexit showdown with rebels

Theresa May is heading for another showdown with her own MPS after the government suffered a heavy defeat in the Lords over giving MPS a “meaningful vote” on the final Brexit deal. Peers voted by was 354 to 235 foranamendmenttotheeuropean Union (Withdrawal) Bill, kicking the controversial issue back to the Commons in a further round of parliamentary “ping pong” and risking a rebellion by pro-eu Tories. MPS are expected to debate the amendment, along the lines of the agreement former attorney general Dominic Grieve thought he had reached with the government last week, on Wednesday.

Mr Grieve warned that the Tory rebels he leads could “collapse” the Government if they disagree with the final outcome of withdrawal talks.

Mrs May repeated her insistence that parliament must not “overturn the will of the British people”.

The Prime Minister said she had been listening to the con- cerns of critics but the legislation cannot restrict her freedom in talks with Brussels.

“As we keep faith with people who voted to leave the European Union, and many of those who didn’t but are now saying ‘let’s just get on with it’, we need to make sure we are putting this legislation into place,” she said.

“But as we do that, of course we have been listening to concerns about the role of Parliament, but we need to make sure that Parliament can’t tie the Government’s hands in negotiation and can’t overturn the will of the British people.”

Mr Grieve insisted rebels would not accept “slavery clause” the Government was offering, but pro-brexit MP Nigel Evans said he was “staggered” by Mr Grieve’s remarks.

“I don’t want to fetter my Prime Minister while she’s negotiating the best deal for Britain,” Mr Evans said, adding that the Prime Minister should walk away from talks if EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier “tries to give us a very bad deal”.