LONDON: Britain’s upper house of parliament handed the government its thirddefeat over Brexit in less than a week on Monday, voting down plans not toretain EU rights in national law before Britain leaves the bloc.
The defeat is one of several Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservativegovernment is expected to suffer in the House of Lords as parliamentdebates legislation which will enact Britain’s exit from the European Unionin March next year.
The vote can be overturned by the lower house, the House of Commons, butshows the deep divisions over Brexit across the Houses of Parliament andcould encourage lawmakers hoping to derail her plans.
The defeat — over ensuring the political, social and economic rightsprotected by the European Charter of Fundamental Rights are replicated inBritish law — follows a vote by the Lords that challenged her plan to leavethe EU’s customs union.
Last week’s defeat, the first of two on that day, increased pressure on Mayto reconsider her refusal to remain in a customs union with the EU.