The House of Lords in Britain, voted yesterday the government’s European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill to amend and thereby delay a bill empowering Prime Minister Theresa May to begin Brexit negotiations, demanding guarantees for EU nationals living in Britain.
Peers voted by 358 to 256 for an amendment requiring ministers protect the rights of more than three million European Union and European Economic Area (EEA) citizens after Britain leaves the bloc.
The change means the bill must return to the Lower House of Commons for further deliberation, delaying final approval just weeks ahead of May’s deadline for starting Brexit negotiations by the end of this month.
Before the vote, May said her timetable for triggering Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon treaty, which starts a two-year negotiating period, would not change.