Northern Ireland protocol bill passes Commons vote

Proposed legislation to allow the UK to unilaterally rip up Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland at the risk of a trade war with the EU passed the second reading stage in the House of Commons on Monday night.

As expected, the Northern Ireland protocol bill was waved through, with critics on the Conservative side keeping their powder dry for later stages of the legislation. The bill will probably get another airing at committee stage in the coming weeks.

Former prime minister Theresa May said the bill was unjustified as long as the dispute mechanism known as article 16 existed.

Hilary Benn, the former Labour chair of the Brexit select committee, took a sideswipe at the foreign secretary by reminding the House that she campaigned for remain in the run-up to the Brexit referendum.

Truss told the house that the bill would not disrupt the common travel area, which was working.