Gov't Admits Change To Brexit WA Would Break International Law

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis has admitted that the gov'ts proposed unilateral changes to the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement would break international law.

• Lewis made the admittance when answering an urgent question in the House of Commons regarding potential changes to the Northern Ireland protocol in the WA as part of the UK Internal Markets Bill intended to be presented on Wednesday.
• When asked by Sir Bob Neill (Con, Bromley and Chiselhurst), who sits as chair of the Justice Select Committee, whether the gov'ts plan broke international law, Lewis replied: "[...] yes, this does break international law in a very specific and limited way. We're taking the power to disapply the EU law concept of direct effect required by article 4 in certain very tightly defined circumstances. There are clear precedents for the UK, and indeed other countries, needing to consider their international obligations as circumstances change."
• During the session former Prime Minister Theresa May (Con, Maidenhead) asked with regard to the proposed change, "...how can the government reassure future international partners that the UK can be trusted to abide by the legal obligations of the agreements it signs?"