BREAKING: May suffers Brexit Bill DEFEAT as Lords vote to guarantee EU citizens’ rights
THE GOVERNMENT tonight suffered a defeat over its Article 50 Bill as peers secured a victory over ministers on the rights of EU nationals.
By GREG HEFFER, POLITICAL REPORTER
Express.co.uk
Wed, Mar 1, 2017
The House of Lords voted overwhelmingly in favour of an amendment to the Prime Minister’s proposed Brexit legislation.
Peers have demanded Theresa May guarantees the rights of EU nationals currently living in the UK within three months of triggering Article 50 and notifying Brussels of Britain’s departure.
The Government had hoped its Article 50 Bill would pass through the House of Lords unamended, as it had through the House of Commons.
But the successful amendment over the rights of EU nationals means the Bill will now return to MPs for their reconsideration after it completes its passage through the House of Lords.
A total of 358 peers voted in favour of the amendment, with 256 voting against.
Responding to the defeat, a Government spokesperson from the Department for Exiting the EU said: “We are disappointed the Lords have chosen to amend a Bill that the House Commons passed without amendment.
“The Bill has a straightforward purpose – to enact the referendum result and allow the Government to get on with the negotiations.
“Our position on EU nationals has repeatedly been made clear. We want to guarantee the rights of EU citizens who are already living in Britain, and the rights of British nationals living in other member states, as early as we can.”
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