MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Johnson prepared to breach orderly EU exit treaty: Northern Ireland and Scotland pledge to fight the bill
Johnson maintains changes are needed to smooth post-Brexit trade between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and help power a recovery 
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon vowed to fight the bill, branding it a “full frontal assault on devolution”. 
Britain on Wednesday readied to intentionally breach its EU divorce treaty with new legislation that critics warned would undermine its global standing and any hopes for an orderly exit out of the world's biggest single market.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government was to submit a new bill governing the UK's own internal market across its devolved nations, to take effect after the expiry of a transition period out of European Union membership in December.
The government maintains the changes are needed to smooth post-Brexit trade between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and help power a recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
But Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has conceded they do “break international law in a very specific and limited way”, in an extraordinary admission that provoked incredulity across the political spectrum in Britain, Brussels and beyond.
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon vowed to fight the bill, branding it a “full frontal assault on devolution”.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was “comfortable” with Britain breaking obligations under its EU Withdrawal Agreement, having only belatedly apparently discovered problems with the treaty's provisions for Northern Ireland.
“The primary international obligation around this issue is to protect the peace process in Northern Ireland and I very much hope we conclude a deal before the end of the transition period,” he told Times Radio.
Critics accused the British government of engaging in bad-faith diversionary tactics as it battles Brussels on key issues such as state subsidies and fishing rights.
Jonathan Jones, the head of the government's legal department, resigned on Tuesday, reportedly because he refused to endorse the new bill.
Tobias Ellwood, Johnson's Conservative colleague who chairs the House of Commons defense committee, told BBC radio that breaching the Brexit treaty meant Britain would “lose the moral high ground”.
“How can we look at countries such as China in the eye and complain about them breaching international obligations over Hong Kong, or indeed Russia over ballistic missiles, or indeed Iran over the nuclear deal, if we go down this road?” he said.
Top Comments
Disclaimer & comment rules-
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Read all commentsThe withdrawl agreement is not legally binding, the one being negotiated now is legally binding.
Sep 10th, 2020 - 12:33 pm 0The UK has never ceded sovereignty over its waters nor should it allow another group of countries to regulate its internal investments.
If necessary UK freedoms should be protected by using the traditional military methods, the French should NOT have control of our waters! Nelson will be spinning in his grave if we do!
Not really surprizing. This is what you get when you vote for the one UK party, which has Donald Trump as their Prime Minister candidate.
Sep 10th, 2020 - 07:06 pm 0Livepeanuts, for once Shrinkbrain has got it right.
The European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 is as legally binding as any tractate the UK has ever signed.
The UK will range on the same level as Argentina, if Donald T. de Pfeffel gets his new law accepted by Parliament.
Don Alberto
Sep 10th, 2020 - 09:49 pm 0Now steady on old chap, some perspective please.
Even if (big if) any of this comes to fruition, I doubt it would put the UK on the “same level as Argentina”, not by a long way.
Although the sublime irony of Argys complaining about “broken agreements”, is exceeded only by the amusement value.
For the EU this is about retaining whatever control they can, it is their primary reason for negotiating in the first place, not really fish.
As yet, threatening to give a Minister a power, to override a section of an agreement, at some point in the future, if he deems necessary! Does not “break any agreements”.
Actually un-necessary anyway, given the mechanisms in place and “leeway” in the wording of the agreement, should the necessity for unilateral action arise in that area.
This is a slap in the face and notice of what life can be like, when they really need to worry about passing a Covid rescue plan and if the Turks discover large gas deposits in Greece’s EEZ.
This is after all a negotiation in progress, perhaps now it will sink in they are not dealing with Teresa May and will actually count what cards they now have in their hand.
We shall see.
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