Peers accused of trying to wreck key Brexit legislation after inflicting a 15th defeat on Theresa May’s EU withdrawal bill in the House of Lords
Lord Framlingham said his colleagues had ‘used and abused’ the parliamentary system to ‘further their own ends and stop us leaving the EU’
PEERS have been accused of trying to wreck key Brexit legislation again after inflicting a 15th defeat on Theresa May’s EU withdrawal bill in the House of Lords today.
Lord Framlingham said his colleagues in the upper chamber had “used and abused” the parliamentary system to “further their own ends and stop us leaving the EU”.
It comes after they backed a clause pushing for the maintenance of Brussels’ environmental principles and standards after we exit the bloc.
In an extraordinary attack, which brought cries of "shame" and "rubbish" from other peers, Tory Lord Framlingham said scrutiny of the bill had seen the House of Lords "at its worst".
Later this afternoon they voted 294 to 244 in favour of the amendment on the final day of debate on the legislation.
It presents a new headache for Mrs may when it comes back to the House of Commons, when she will need to get MPs to overturn each of the new clauses.
Lord Framlingham said the days spent debating amendments had been "dark days" for the Lords, and said people "who should know better" had put down amendments most of which had nothing to do with the legislation.
He said "irreparable damage" had been done to the reputation of the Lords by "wreckers of the Bill".
After Tory colleague Lord Cormack told him it was in fact him who was damaging the reputation of the Lords, he said: "I believe I am speaking up for this House and for the country.”
Lord Framlingham added: "To set ourselves up in such a disreputable way as guardians of wisdom and the common good when so many of the amendments we have passed have simply been an attempt to wreck the Bill and thwart the will of the people is both false and dangerous."
MOST READ IN POLITICS:
Today’s vote was put forward by independent crossbencher Lord Krebs, who said the Government's post-Brexit plans to protect the environment were simply "too weak" and may only amount to "thin gruel".
And he said the amendment would plug this gap by ensuring the maintenance of EU environmental principles and standards.
But responding, Brexit minister Lord Callanan said it was "disappointing" the amendment had been proposed, which he labelled “premature”.
He said: "We have debated the important topic of environmental protection on numerous occasions and the Government has taken clear action in response to many of the points raised."