This is a roundup of the salient news on Brexit related news for Wednesday as the debate continues in Parliament.
Government publishes full legal advice on Brexit
The Government was forced to publish the Attorney General’s full advice after ministers were found in contempt of Parliament on Tuesday for providing only a legal overview earlier this week.
The BBC reports that the document shows the PM was told an arrangement designed to prevent a hard Irish border could last “indefinitely” and the UK could not “lawfully exit” without EU agreement. “Theresa May’s Brexit backstop plan risks a “stalemate” and “protracted rounds of negotiations” with the EU, the full legal advice on her deal says” In a reaction, The Democratic Unionists said this would be “devastating” for the UK. But Mrs May rejected SNP claims she has misled Parliament on the issue.
Speaking in the Commons, the prime minister said there was “no difference” between the two documents and the legal position on her proposed “temporary” customs arrangement with the EU was clear.
Peers in the House of Lords have been debating Brexit today
Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, was one of the early speakers. He called for national reconciliation, and said that a second referendum might end up being one way in which this could be achieved. He said “Whichever way we go there is a requirement for national reconciliation. The negative impact of the previous referendum is why I see another one as a possible, but not immediately preferable, choice – and then only if parliament has failed in its responsibilities. Reconciliation is an area for civil society, for faith groups, but is also largely the responsibility of any government. We have heard much about its need but nothing about its methods.”
Very likely that UK voted for Brexit because of Illegal over spending by Vote Leave Campaign
Meanwhile The Independent reports that an Oxford professor will tell the High Court on Friday that “It is “very likely” that the UK voted for Brexit because of illegal overspending by the Vote Leave campaign”.
An exhaustive analysis of the campaign’s digital strategy concludes it reached “tens of millions of people” in its last crucial days, after its spending limit had been breached – enough to change the outcome.
The evidence will be presented to the High Court on Friday, in a landmark case that will rule within weeks whether the referendum result should be declared “void” because the law was broken.
You can follow the debate on the following portals:
