On 13 November 2017, the
Brexit Secretary,
David Davis, announced plans for a new bill to enshrine the Withdrawal Agreement, if any, in domestic law by primary legislation. Upon further questioning in the House of Commons, Davis clarified that if MPs chose not to pass the bill, the UK would remain on course to leave the EU on 29 March 2019 without a deal as a consequence of
invoking Article 50 in March 2017, after the passing of the
European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017. Described by
The Independent as the government "caving in" to Tory rebels, the bill as originally conceived would have allowed
MPs to scrutinise any agreement "line-by-line", as well as make amendments. Conservative MP
Steve Baker, writing for
The Times, claimed the new bill "gives whatever deal we strike with the EU proper standing in British law" and that it was consistent with the
referendum result in providing "more control over how we are governed to the
UK Parliament." The bill was introduced to Parliament for the first time on 21 October 2019, but lapsed on 6 November with the dissolution of Parliament in preparation for the
December 2019 general election. Following the attainment of a Conservative majority at the election, the bill was revised and reintroduced on 19 December, passing its second reading the following day. The December revision of the bill removed the provisions made in previous versions for parliamentary scrutiny of Brexit negotiations. The Withdrawal Agreement Bill passed its third and final reading in the
House of Commons on 9 January 2020, with 330 in favour to 231 against. On 21 January 2020, the
House of Lords passed the bill after approving five amendments to it. However, these amendments were overturned by the House of Commons on the following day. On 22 January 2020, the bill was passed by the House of Lords without further modifications. It received
royal assent by Queen
Elizabeth II the following day. ==See also==