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Ex-Prime Minister May on Boris Johnson's planned internal market law (archive photo): "Unspeakable damage to Britain's reputation"
Photo: Francisco Seco / dpa
The British ex-Prime Minister Theresa May has spoken out resolutely against the internal market law planned by her successor Boris Johnson.
"I cannot support this law," May said during a debate in the House of Commons.
The government is jeopardizing "the integrity of the United Kingdom" without considering the consequences for the country's reputation in the world.
The background to this are plans by the British government for a so-called internal market law that would partially nullify the Brexit agreement negotiated with the EU in 2019.
The EU sees this as a breach of law and calls for the controversial clauses to be withdrawn by the end of September.
May said the move would cause "untold damage to Britain's reputation".
Decisive vote in the coming week
London is pushing the adoption forward, on Wednesday the law should take another hurdle in the House of Commons.
The decisive vote will then follow in the coming week, before the law is supposed to pass the House of Lords.
According to Northern Ireland Undersecretary Robin Walker, the UK government hopes it will never have to apply the new clauses.
"We are not taking these steps lightly," Walker said in front of Parliament.
Previously, several MPs from Johnson's party had spoken out against his plans.
However, the prime minister managed to forge a compromise with a few dissenters.
He assured them a further vote in parliament in the event that the measures of the law should actually take effect.
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fek / dpa / Reuters