Brexit bill: May under pressure after two big defeats in Lords Read moreMPs campaigning against a hard Brexit, including Anna Soubry and Chuka Umunna, have tabled amendments to the trade bill and customs bill demanding that the option of a customs union be kept on the table. But the government has delayed bringing the legislation back to the Commons, avoiding the risk of an embarrassing defeat, so the select committee chairs are using their power to raise issues in the Commons to force a vote. Supporters of a customs union hope the debate will underline the lack of support in parliament for taking the UK out of the customs union. If Theresa May wanted to, she could change her mind on this.”But Jacob Rees Mogg, chair of the pro-Brexit European Research Group of backbenchers, warned against the liaison committee - made up of the select committee chairs - politicising its role. The shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, said: “This is further evidence of the growing chorus of cross-party voices concerned that Theresa May’s position on a customs union is wrong in principle.”

Source: The Guardian April 19, 2018 13:03 UTC