What has happened in this another tumultuous evening on 29th September 2020 in the House of Commons? Just to recap, MPs voted 340 to 256, majority 84, in favour of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill at its third reading, despite warnings that the legislation threatens the Union and the country’s global reputation. Ministers have defended powers contained in the bill, which gives them the opportunity to override the Brexit divorce deal. The Bill will undergo further scrutiny in the Lords at a later date.
The government was forced to compromise earlier in the bill’s passage in the face of a Tory backbench rebellion, which resulted in changes to give MPs a vote before ministers can use the powers which would breach the Withdrawal Agreement brokered with Brussels last year. Tonight, however, no Conservative MPs rebelled to oppose the bill, according to the division list. Those who did not record a vote included former prime minister Theresa May who voiced concerns about the bill.
Is it strange why NO Conservative MPs voted against the bill on Tuesday night, on top of which it was clear more than 20 did not vote, with the majority assumed to be abstentions, not surprising Mrs Theresa May among them. Mrs Teresa May (former prime minister) was in Westminster on Tuesday, and as a vocal opponent of the bill seemed likely to be a deliberate abstention. Other Tory MPs who did not vote include the former attorneys general Geoffrey Cox and Jeremy Wright. Any surprise? Not for me! Seems few people still know what can happened.
On other hand our Prime Minister Boris Johnson argued the law-breaking measures were needed to counteract the possibility of the EU responding to a lack of a permanent trade deal in December by effectively blocking goods from entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK! What a joke! This is highly unlikely to happen.
The rebellion coalesced around an amendment led by the Conservative backbencher Bob Neill, which decreed that the government could only use the powers to change the Brexit departure deal with prior approval of MPs.
Another very (un)expected resignation has happened with Lord Keen, the UK government’s law officer for Scotland. Government not bothered at all the government agreed an amendment broadly similar to Neill’s plan. However, this did not satisfy everyone with Teresa May using a Commons speech last week to condemn the idea of ditching elements of the withdrawal agreement, which has the status of a treaty and is thus protected under international law, as “reckless” & “irresponsible”.
Speaking for Labour on Tuesday, the shadow business minister Lucy Powell said the government was being reckless and “using Northern Ireland as a pawn in a wider negotiating strategy. The government are playing a dangerous game, and it’s the people and businesses of Northern Ireland who risk paying the price.
The bill will now move to the Lords, where Johnson faces potentially stiffer opposition, not least from Michael Howard, the former Tory leader who has also condemned the law-breaking plan. However, the timetable for the Lords has yet to be set out, prompting more speculation that the contentious elements might be aimed more as a negotiating stick for the EU rather than an urgent legal necessity.
Lord Neuberger, former president of the supreme court, has condemned the bill as a “flagrant breach” of the UK’s international law obligations that would “muzzle” British courts. Speaking at an online seminar organised by the International Bar Association on Tuesday evening, Neuberger said there would be moral and practical ramifications. He asked how the government, which is passing some “pretty draconian” laws through Covid-19 health regulations, could expect people to obey them if it is “seen to be breaking its obligations on the international law stage”. At the same meeting, Prof Philippe Sands QC, warned that the government’s threat to break international law would “undermine the UK’s negotiating position” in any future treaties with other countries and destroy our reputation for being trustworthy.
Dominic Grieve QC, the former Conservative attorney general, said the bill was unprecedented, drives a “coach and horses” through the UK’s international obligations and would do “massive reputational damage” to the UK.
Questions to PM Boris Johnson:
How can we'll be working with Europe if we will be in breach of the international law?
What will happen with our imports?
What will happen with our exports?
What will happen if France close the border?
What will happen if Belgium close the border?
Who will be on borders?
What documentation importers/exporters needs to fulfil?
And another 218 what's!

Hope there will be no "Armageddon" or "End of World" or even less "War of the Worlds".
Guess what? Boris Johnson since he is in No.10 made so many "U" turns on his decisions that all conservative and labour PM's did not do together! So, be happy, be calm and do (not) trust to our PM, to do the best for all of us. God save the Queen and our PM!

By Z KOS, MSc MEc BScEcon(Hons) MBA