House of Lords defeat May, vote to remove Brexit date from key bill

Bloomberg

The House of Lords inflicted another defeat on the UK government over its key piece of Brexit legislation, voting to strip out the fixed timing for Britain to leave the EU.
The government in November
inserted 11 pm on March 29, 2020 into its own bill to “remove any confusion or concern about what ‘exit day’ means,” Brexit Secretary David Davis said at the time.
It was viewed as an attempt to pacify Brexit supporters who feared exit talks dragging on, but critics said it removed the flexibility to extend discussions if needed. Those seeking to thwart Brexit also want to be able to extend membership to give them time to maneuver.
EU member states would have to agree unanimously to any extension.
“What is the point of putting the date on the face of this bill when it may have to be changed in circumstances which we cannot foresee?” Conservative peer Charles Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, told lawmakers. “This date should not be defined and specified on the face of the bill in case it becomes necessary and in the national interest to agree an extension” to talks.
Earlier, peers voted against the government on an amendment that would allow Britain to participate in EU agencies after leaving the bloc.
The defeats are another Brexit setback for PM Theresa May, who has suffered a string of losses at the hands of the unelected chamber.
In the past three weeks, peers have voted to compel ministers to seek a form of customs union with the EU, curtail ministerial powers and expand the scope of a meaningful parliamentary vote on the final deal.