China News Service, November 10, reported that on the 9th local time, British Prime Minister Johnson suffered a serious setback in the House of Lords, and the controversial content of his Brexit bill was rejected. At the same time, British and European representatives continued to negotiate bilateral trade agreements in London.
According to a Reuters report, on the 9th, the British House of Lords deleted a key clause in the Brexit bill with 433 votes in favor and 165 votes against it. In subsequent voting, it is expected that other similar clauses will also be deleted.
It is understood that the clause allows the Johnson government to unilaterally overturn the Northern Ireland part of the Brexit agreement. However, if Johnson still has a chance to resume these controversial measures.
According to the American Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), members of the British House of Lords lashed out at the bill. Former Conservative Party leader Michael Howard said he was “disappointed” by the government’s actions.
He said: “I voted for Brexit, and I have never regretted or dissatisfied that vote.” “But I hope that the independent and sovereign country I voted can stand upright in the world, keep its promises, uphold the rule of law, and fulfill Treaty obligations.”
On the other hand, negotiators from the United Kingdom and the European Union met in London on the 9th to seek a breakthrough in the deadlock in trade negotiations. Analysts believe that the UK and Europe must reach an agreement before mid-November to ensure that there is enough time to complete their respective legal procedures.
According to previous reports, Britain officially left the European Union on January 31 this year, and then entered an 11-month transition period. If the UK and Europe fail to reach a trade agreement during the transition period, the bilateral trade will return to the WTO framework from 2021 and re-implement arrangements such as border inspections and tariffs.
In this regard, Johnson said on the 8th that the “outline” of the Brexit agreement is very clear and the agreement is “to be completed.” But he also insisted that if the final phase of negotiations with the European Union fails, the UK is also fully prepared. The EU also stated that it will not reach an agreement at all costs.
