Article 50 discussions: Lords debates Brexit

• Catch up on Parliament TV
• Read the Lords Hansard transcript
• Lords Division results 
• Lords Library briefing: Further Take-Note
• Find out more about debates in the Lords

The debate was on two connected motions.

The first motion, put forward by Lord Callanan (Conservative), minister of state in the Department for Exiting the EU, proposed that the House takes note of the ongoing discussions with the EU under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. The motion was agreed without a division (vote).

The second motion, proposed by the Leader of the Opposition in the Lords, Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour) called on the government to take all steps necessary to ensure that the UK does not leave the EU on 29 March without an agreement which has been fully ratified by both Houses of Parliament, and that before the end of February 2019, motions are moved which fulfil the provisions under sections 13(1)(b) and (c) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

This motion went to a division (a vote). 155 members voted in favour of the motion with 69 voting against, so the motion was agreed.

The motion does not stop the House taking note of the discussions with the EU, but it has put the opinion of the Lords on record.

Background

• 28 January 2019: PM's withdrawal agreement: Lords debates statement
• 15 January 2019: UK withdrawal agreement: Lords debates Brexit deal
• 11 December 2018: UK withdrawal agreement: Lords debates Brexit deal
• EU (Withdrawal Act) 2018 on legislation.gov.uk (external site)
• Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration on GOV.UK (external site)

Baroness Smith's motion refers to two previous motions agreed by the House of Lords. These were agreed on 14 and 28 January and put the opinion of the House on record that it rejects the UK leaving the EU without a deal. Full details of the motions agreed can be found in the news stories above.

Image: House of Lords 2019 / Photography by Roger Harris