Law and religion round-up – 8th September

Another week dominated by the B-word…

Brexit in Parliament

The Lords sat until 1:30 on Thursday morning on the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill, with a series of votes on amendments – then the Government Chief Whip, Lord Ashton of Hyde, and Baroness Smith, Labour leader in the Lords, announced that peace had broken out. The bill was passed by the Lords without amendment and is expected to receive Royal Assent tomorrow, 9 September. On the motion ‘That the bill do now pass’, the Minister of State, Department for Exiting the European Union, Lord Callanan, said: “I reiterate, as we have stated many times, that the Government have been clear that we will of course adhere to the law.” Nevertheless, the Prime Minister declared that he would rather be dead in a ditch than seek to delay Brexit – on which see David Allen Green, below. And on Saturday, Amber Rudd both resigned as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and ceased to take the Conservative whip. Continue reading