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The Internal Market Bill, which would allow British ministers to breach parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement, has kicked off its approval by the House of Lords with a series of searing speeches denouncing it as an assault on the rule of law. Igor Judge, former Chief Justice of England and Wales, filed a “motion of repentance” saying the bill would undermine the rule of law and damage Britain’s reputation.
“When those responsible for making the law, that is, we the parliament, we the legislators, who expect people to obey the laws we make, knowingly empower the executive to break the law, that incursion is not small. The rule of law is not only undermined, it is subverted, ”he said.
“There is a consequence, and the damage is in our position in the world. We have no real power now, except soft power – the English language and the understanding that in this country we have a traditional belief in the rule of law and we respect it. We hope that, one day, all the countries in the world that do not respect the rule of law will. Yet here we are, about to destroy it. “
Break the law
The bill, which passed all its stages in the House of Commons last month, gives ministers the power to violate international law by setting aside the Brexit withdrawal agreement to unilaterally determine how parts of it should be implemented. Northern Ireland protocol. The withdrawal agreement says that a joint committee should decide how to implement the protocol and establishes an arbitration system to resolve disputes.
The government eliminated a conservative rebellion from the Commons by promising parliamentarians a vote before the treaty default clauses are activated. But former Conservative leader Michael Howard, a prominent Brexit supporter, said he would vote against the clauses.
“I want the UK to be an independent sovereign state. However, I want it to be an independent sovereign state that holds its head high in the world, keeps its word, defends the rule of law and respects its treaty obligations, ”he said.
“I want it to be an independent sovereign state that is a beacon for the nations. I do not want it to be an independent sovereign state that chooses as one of the first affirmations of that sovereignty to break its word, violate the law and deny a treaty that it signed just a year ago ”.
‘Advisors out of control’
Former Labor Attorney General Charles Falconer said the protocol was a guarantee that the border would remain open and that without it, closing the border was the only way to protect the integrity of the EU single market. And he dismissed as “beyond reason” Boris Johnson’s claim that the paperwork accompanying goods moving between Northern Ireland and Britain was a threat to the integrity of the UK.
“He is a prime minister with out-of-control advisers, looking for political tricks to bolster the insurgent nature of Brexit, happy to sacrifice the rule of law in hopes of a good culture war fight with Remainers and some garish headlines, and oblivious to the consequences for the UK’s position, its long-term relationship with EU countries and the safety and security of those living in Ireland, ”he said.
“Defenders of the rule of law in government have either been forced out, or are too desperate to hold on to the over-promoted offices to speak up as they should.”
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