Boris Johnson’s legislation to scrap parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol has cleared its first Commons hurdle.
The bill passed by 295 votes to 221 despite attracting fierce criticism from a number of MPs on the Tory benches as well as the opposition.
Critics, who include former prime minister Theresa May, say the plan is illegal and threatens to spark a trade war with Europe.
The bill must now go through in-depth scrutiny by MPs and a further Commons vote and then pass to the Lords, before becoming law.
Politics Hub: Cabinet ministers urged to oust PM
Earlier, Mrs May delivered a stinging rebuke to Boris Johnson’s plan to override parts of the protocol.
The former prime minister told fellow MPs she could not support the controversial legislation – which she said would be illegal, fail to achieve its aims, and diminish Britain’s standing in the world.
In an excoriating takedown of the plans, she even drew on her own experience as an embattled prime minister…
