Johnson’s Brexit bill passes first hurdle in UK parliament

UK PM Boris Johnson’s plan to renege on part of the Brexit divorce deal passed its first hurdle in parliament late on Monday after a bruising debate in which senior members of his own party denounced the move.
The House of Commons passed the Internal Market Bill by 340 to 263 in its first main vote, allowing it to go through to the next stage in the parliamentary process on Tuesday. The prime minister said the proposed legislation, which will rewrite part of the Withdrawal Agreement, is “essential” to maintain the UK’s economic and political integrity. He accused the European Union of making “absurd” threats to stop food moving from mainland Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
“The EU hasn’t taken that particular revolver off the table,” the PM told MPs. “It is such an extraordinary threat, and it seems so incredible the EU could do this, that we are not taking powers in this bill to neutralize that threat, but obviously reserve the right to do so if these threats persist.”