Boris Johnson Goes Forward With Internal Market Bill As ‘Safety Net’ If Brexit Negotiations Fail



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It says ministers will have the power to “waive” rules related to the movement of goods, including those covered by the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Johnson has said that if the Withdrawal Agreement is upheld and there is no trade agreement, the EU could effectively ban the sale of goods from the mainland to Northern Ireland, meaning the UK’s status as a single market would be threatened. .

A senior government source said: “We have to get on with this tomorrow, but if it becomes clear that the issues can be resolved in a legally binding way as part of a trade agreement, then the Prime Minister could remove the sections that people he objects. a. Safety nets can always be removed when not needed. “

Former Prime Minister Theresa May is among those who have spoken out against the bill, saying it will damage confidence in the UK on the international stage. In September, Sir Jonathan Jones resigned as permanent secretary of the government’s legal department because he believed the bill was being exceeded.

Simon Coveney, Ireland’s foreign minister, said he viewed the Internal Market Act as a “negotiating tactic”, adding that if trade talks are successful, the legislation “may find a way to disappear.”

Johnson will personally decide whether to remove the clauses when the bill reaches its final stages this week.

Monday will enter the stage known as “ping pong” in which a bill is passed back and forth between the Commons and the Lords until both Houses agree. The process is expected to take at least three days. If a trade agreement is reached during that time, the Government is likely to accept the will of the Lords by not reinserting the clauses.

A senior government source said: “We were hoping to have reached a conclusion on the trade talks one way or another by the end of last week. Whether the bill comes back tomorrow is totally dependent on the parliamentary calendar. Not designed for pressure the negotiators. “



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