Government Suffers Lords Defeats Over Immigration Bill

London: The government has faced a string of defeats in the House of Lords over its post-Brexit immigration bill. The proposed legislation has passed its initial stages in the Commons – where Boris Johnson has a majority of 80. But peers have now approved five amendments while scrutinising the bill. They include keeping the current rules for unaccompanied child refugees after the end of the transition period, which sees them reunited with close relatives in the UK. It is the second time the so-called Dubs amendment – presented by Labour’s Lord Dubs – has been approved by peers, but turned down by MPs. Afterwards, Lord Dubs tweeted: “The Commons now needs to do the right thing by these uniquely vulnerable children and support the amendment.” But Home Office Minister Baroness Williams said the UK had made a “credible and serious” offer to the EU agree new arrangements; and that it wouldn’t be right to undermine those negotiations through domestic legislation.

Read more: BBC News, https://is.gd/QwY9Yt