Theresa May escaped a likely fall from office over her trade bill this week by the skin of her teeth, thanks to unprecedented, cowardly surrenders to her hard right fringe and a betrayal of female MPs. But it looks like it was a futile exercise as a ruling by the House of Lords means she is likely to be sent back to square one.
The government had hoped to push through her bastardised trade bill without further debate by treating it as a ‘money bill’ – by convention, the House of Lords does not seek to amend or send back legislation over money issues, in which the elected Commons is considered to have primacy.
However, in the last few minutes the Speaker has ruled that it is not a money bill. This means that it will be discussed in the ‘other place’ and probably rejected – then sent back to the Commons debate, amendments and votes – possibly as early as next week or even this Friday.
No wonder Theresa May wanted to close Parliament early – an attempt she abandoned when Labour made clear they would fight it.
The beleaguered PM is scheduled to be in Ireland Thursday and Friday, which may well make any votes tighter – unless of course she cancels her visit.
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Hurray for the Lords.
They will insist on a Customs Union backstop if there is no negotiated trade deal by Brexit leaving day.
Otherwise Ireland will be inoperable.
The Tories are in a complete mess and unfit to govern the country.
Bridgen, Rees-Mogg & co are barking mad/extremist and care not a fig for the wreckage to people’s lives and jobs they will cause.
This is widely shared on twitter:
“customs bill is categorised as a supply bill – this means it can be rejected at second reading BUT the Lords companion says that ‘the Lords are debarred from offering any amendment’ to supply bills”
As it can only be a yes/no in the Lords and there can’t be any amendments does that mean the bill is more or less likely to be rejected?
More. Nothing’s guaranteed of course
Will the whip be withdrawn from the 4 ‘Labour’ traitors before they prop up May again in any 2nd vote??