Government defeated over Brexit bill amendments

The government has been overruled after the House Of Lords has said ministers should guarantee EU nationals' the right to stay in the UK after Brexit. They had previously voted for a labour-led ‘Amendent to protect the rights of EU nationals living in the UK’, and the results came out as 358 to 256. This is the first parliamentary defeat yet for the governments brexit bill, and will allow Theresa May the authority to trigger Brexit under Article 50.

Why did the Lords choose to amend the Brexit Bill?

The Lords came out and said that they feel morally obliged to step in to change some of the terms of Britain's negotiating stance on leaving the European Union. However, the amendment is much to the government's disapproval after having voted by a clear majority to pass the legislation unamended.

Does this delay the Brexit process?

Number 10 has reassured everybody that this small set back will not delay the initial plan of formally starting talks to leave the EU by the end of March this year. But last night Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, hinted that his MPs might be whipped to support the measure in the House of Commons.

He stated that the Lords overruling decision was "great news", adding: "The government must now do the decent thing and guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in the UK." Still, depending on the vote, the Bill is likely to receive royal assent which is likely to be granted on Wednesday 15 March - allowing Prime Minister Teresa May to formally begin the process of Britain leaving the EU.

What does this all mean?

The amendment being backed by the Lords requires the government to introduce proposals within three months of the Article 50 being triggered, to ensure EU citizens in the UK have the same residence rights after Brexit. But it could be overturned when MPs, who have already backed the Brexit bill without amendments, vote on it again. The amended Bill will return to the Commons, in a procedure known as "ping-pong". MPs will vote to scrap the amendment and return it to The House of Lords yet again.