Brexit: British Parliament considers controversial bill

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Parliament in London on October 28, 2019. Parliament TV via REUTERS

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3 min

A series of controversial debates begins this Monday, September 14 in the British Parliament.

At stake, a post-Brexit internal market law supposed to clarify certain points of the agreement to leave the European Union signed between London and Brussels.

An initiative that is controversial on the European side but also within the party of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

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To break international law or not to break it.

This is the question which will be debated over the next four days in Westminster.

British MPs are due to consider a bill that partially contradicts the already signed agreement on the UK's exit from the EU - a move that violates international law, Boris Johnson himself admits.

This controversial text will give London the power to unilaterally take trade decisions in its province of Northern Ireland, while the Brexit agreement provided for the British province to remain subject to certain European provisions for four years, notably concerning trade.

The bill thus violates key provisions of the treaty concluded last year, which aims to ensure fair competition after Brexit and to prevent the return of a border, in accordance with the 1998 peace agreement which ended to three decades of unrest in the province.

" 

 ", reacted Sunday on Twitter the President of the European Council Charles Michel, urging him to fully implement the agreement already signed because " 

 ”.

In the United Kingdom too, this initiative by Boris Johnson is going badly.

Theresa May, John Major and Tony Blair, all former leaders of the Conservative Party, have expressed their opposition.

As of Monday, amendments will be proposed by deputies to prevent a vote, indicates our correspondent in London,

.

If this law on the internal market were validated, the points concerning Northern Ireland would only apply in the event of a “No deal”.

An outcome to which Boris Johnson is not afraid to move.

The Prime Minister announced last week that in the event of no compromise by October 15, Brexit would take place without a deal.

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• United Kingdom

• Brexit

• Boris Johnson