Latest attempts to change key Brexit bill rejected in Commons

The latest attempts to change key Brexit legislation have been defeated in the Commons, after Theresa May called on MPs to "come together" on the issue.

Labour’s bid to make it harder to change employment rights, environmental protection and other EU regulations after Brexit in the form of two amendments to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill was repelled.

The Government survived four other votes on day two of the flagship bill’s committee stage, during which MPs examine proposed legislation in fine detail.

But in a sign of potential trouble brewing, Conservative former attorney general Dominic Grieve warned laws safeguarding such rights would be brought to the "lowest possible status" in Parliament once Britain’s EU exit takes effect.

He told the Commons that legislation of "considerable importance" would be weakened under the bill, which is designed to convert EU law into UK legislation by the end of March 2019.

Shadow Brexit minister Matthew Pennycook said secondary legislation could be used to "chip away at rights, entitlements, protections and standards that the public enjoy and wish to retain".

Labour wanted to ensure that retained EU law could only be changed through primary legislation, which requires full debates in the chamber.

Mr Grieve said: "He’s right about that – that is the curiosity of this legislation, that taking laws which we would regard for the most part in this country of being of very considerable importance if you were to speak to them, to raise the issues with the public, are being brought to the lowest possible status on their return here and without there really being an opportunity for obvious reasons for us to revisit this issue domestically in a way which might lead us to enacting fresh legislation."

Mr Grieve said later in the debate that he wanted an assurance from the Government that the issue was being looked at, but said Labour’s proposed change had "problems of its own".

He continued: "I put the Government on notice that we are going to have to draw together the issues that we’re debating today.

"And indeed I’m convinced it will be similar issues next week, all of which derive from the same problem, as to the way the Government has approached this and drafted this legislation at the moment, and it must be remedied."

Solicitor General Robert Buckland said Brexit would "in no way whatsoever be used to undermine or curtail the rights of workers that have been enshrined both in domestic law and in law by virtue of the EU".

More than 400 amendments have been tabled to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, with the first opposition amendments to the flagship legislation defeated on Tuesday.

Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Mrs May said she was "listening carefully to those who wish to improve the bill".

The PM added: "I hope that we can all come together to deliver on the decision that the country took that we should leave the European Union."

(c) Sky News 2017: Latest attempts to change key Brexit bill rejected in Commons