This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54170397
The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Brexit: Johnson says EU may not be negotiating in good faith | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Boris Johnson has told MPs he believes the EU may not be negotiating with the UK in good faith. | |
| The PM was explaining why he wants to overwrite parts of the Brexit deal he signed with the EU in January. | |
| He said it was to prevent the EU behaving in an "unreasonable" way if the UK fails to agree a trade deal. | |
| Pressed by Labour's Hilary Benn on whether he thought the EU was negotiating in good faith, he said: "I don't believe they are." | |
| This contradicted Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis, who earlier told MPs he believed the EU was acting in good faith. | |
| When that was put to him, Mr Johnson said it was "always possible that I am mistaken and perhaps they will prove my suspicions wrong". | |
| Potential rebellion | |
| Both sides have a duty to act in good faith under Article 5 of the withdrawal agreement - but it is difficult to demonstrate a lack of "good faith" or "best endeavours" - another phrase enshrined in the treaty. | |
| The legal definition of "good faith" is stronger than the generally accepted meaning of the words. | |
| Mr Johnson told the Liaison Committee, a panel of senior backbench MPs, that a no-deal scenario was "not what this country wants" and "it's not what our EU friends and partners want from us". | |
| "Therefore I have every hope and expectation that that won't be the outcome." | |
| It comes as the PM seeks to head off a potential rebellion by Tory MPs over his plan to rewrite parts of the withdrawal agreement. | |
| More than 30 Tory MPs were expected to vote for an amendment to the Internal Market Bill next week. | More than 30 Tory MPs were expected to vote for an amendment to the Internal Market Bill next week. |
| If passed, Sir Bob Neill's amendment would have given MPs the final say over changes to the withdrawal agreement which are proposed in the Internal Market Bill. | |
| The PM has now promised to give MPs "an extra layer of Parliamentary oversight", the BBC understands. | |
| 'Belt and braces' | |
| The BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the hope from ministers is that this will "prevent rebellion next week". | The BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the hope from ministers is that this will "prevent rebellion next week". |
| Mr Johnson says the Internal Market Bill is needed to protect the "territorial integrity" of the UK if trade talks with the EU fail. | |
| He described it to MPs as a "belt and braces" measure in case of "extreme" interpretations of the withdrawal agreement by the EU. | |
| The bill was "about ensuring friends and and partners don't do something unreasonable," he added. | The bill was "about ensuring friends and and partners don't do something unreasonable," he added. |
| But it has provoked a backlash from the EU, which has threatened legal action - and the possible suspension of trade talks - if it is not withdrawn. | |
| Brandon Lewis last week admitted - in response to a Commons question from Tory MP Sir Bob Neill - that the bill would break international law in a "specific and limited" way. | |
| His words prompted the resignation of a senior government law officer and condemnation from all five living former prime ministers, who have warned that it threatens the UK's reputation for upholding treaties and international laws. | His words prompted the resignation of a senior government law officer and condemnation from all five living former prime ministers, who have warned that it threatens the UK's reputation for upholding treaties and international laws. |
| A number of Tory MPs abstained, or voted against, the bill on Monday - and many of them were expected to back Sir Bob Neill's amendment next week. | A number of Tory MPs abstained, or voted against, the bill on Monday - and many of them were expected to back Sir Bob Neill's amendment next week. |
| 'Legal safety net' | 'Legal safety net' |
| Writing in the I Paper, Sir Bob said his amendment "seeks to put a Parliamentary lock on the powers the government is seeking to give itself". | Writing in the I Paper, Sir Bob said his amendment "seeks to put a Parliamentary lock on the powers the government is seeking to give itself". |
| He added: "Taking a sledgehammer to the entire bill would be the wrong approach. | He added: "Taking a sledgehammer to the entire bill would be the wrong approach. |
| "There is a great deal of good in it, with 51 of its 54 clauses fairly innocuous for the large majority. | "There is a great deal of good in it, with 51 of its 54 clauses fairly innocuous for the large majority. |
| "However, the gravity of the three remaining clauses require, at the very least, additional checks and balances. | "However, the gravity of the three remaining clauses require, at the very least, additional checks and balances. |
| "My amendment would ensure further Parliamentary approval is secured before the government can discharge them." | "My amendment would ensure further Parliamentary approval is secured before the government can discharge them." |
| Speaking earlier, Mr Johnson's official spokesman said the PM and his team "are in conversations with MPs about the bill and the importance of creating the legal safety net". | Speaking earlier, Mr Johnson's official spokesman said the PM and his team "are in conversations with MPs about the bill and the importance of creating the legal safety net". |
| He confirmed that the prime minister had spoken to Sir Bob and said "conversations with MPs will continue". | He confirmed that the prime minister had spoken to Sir Bob and said "conversations with MPs will continue". |
| What is the Internal Market Bill? | |
| The bill sets out rules for the operation of the UK internal market - trade between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - after the end of the Brexit transition period in January. | The bill sets out rules for the operation of the UK internal market - trade between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - after the end of the Brexit transition period in January. |
| It proposes: | It proposes: |
| The bill explicitly states that these powers should apply even if they are incompatible with international law. | The bill explicitly states that these powers should apply even if they are incompatible with international law. |
| Ministers say the legislation is needed to prevent "damaging" tariffs on goods travelling from the rest of the UK to Northern Ireland if negotiations with the EU on a free trade agreement fail. | Ministers say the legislation is needed to prevent "damaging" tariffs on goods travelling from the rest of the UK to Northern Ireland if negotiations with the EU on a free trade agreement fail. |
| But some senior Conservatives - including former Prime Minister John Major - have warned it risks undermining the UK's reputation as an upholder of international law. | But some senior Conservatives - including former Prime Minister John Major - have warned it risks undermining the UK's reputation as an upholder of international law. |
| The legislation has also proved controversial with the devolved administrations, which are concerned about how the UK's "internal market" will operate post-Brexit and who will set regulations and standards. | The legislation has also proved controversial with the devolved administrations, which are concerned about how the UK's "internal market" will operate post-Brexit and who will set regulations and standards. |