Brexit minister warns Lords not to frustrate govt on final withdrawal bill

Brexit minister Steve Baker has said parliamentarians should pass the future deal without major amendments, suggesting that doing otherwise would be an attempt to "frustrate the process".

Speaking during a hearing of the Lords Constitution Committee, Baker noted that "time is always running down", urging members of both houses to "work constructively together to pass the Withdrawal Agreement and Implementation Bill [WAIB]".

This bill, which will be presented after negotiations have concluded in October, will enshrine in law the major policies as set out in the Withdrawal Agreement being negotiated by teams headed up by David Davis and Michel Barnier. The government will ask parliament to approve the bill and a statement on future relationship as a package, Baker said.

"While I recognise that parliament can amend these things, we all need to ask parliament to proceed within context of negotiations, the framework of time available, and to work in the national interest," he told peers.

He did not give any indication of how long would be given for scrutiny of the bill, but pointed to "very large" sections of green within the document hailed by Barnier and Davis last month, suggesting law-makers could begin that process now.

Baker, who was ardently pro-Leave during the referendum, added: "There will not be attempts to stay in by back door or reverse the result, we need to leave the EU. My appeal would be to parliamentarians not to frustrate that process, particularly those in a clear majority who supported EU notification of Withdrawal Bill.

"Having sought to notify we would leave, it's now incumbent on parliamentarians to support a smooth process of leaving in the national interest," he added. Amendments at that stage will be looked at "extremely carefully to make our case that they ought not to be carried"

And if the two houses disagree on the final vote, Baker told the Lords that MPs would have the final say. "Ultimately [the Commons] has to win" he added.

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CityAM

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