Adjournment of the House of Lords Debate on the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration

On 10 December 2018, the House of Lords adjourned the debate it was holding on the withdrawal agreement and political declaration agreed by the Government and the EU during the Brexit negotiations. This debate was being held to fulfil the requirements on the House of Lords under section 13 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, which sets out certain steps that must be taken before the UK would be able to ratify the withdrawal agreement. The Lords adjourned its debate when the Government decided not to go ahead with a planned vote on the withdrawal agreement and political declaration in the House of Commons—what has become known as the ‘meaningful vote’. This briefing summarises recent developments which may influence when the Lords has the opportunity to debate this matter again. It does not cover what might happen were the Commons to decide not to approve the withdrawal agreement and political declaration in a rescheduled ‘meaningful vote’.