Following last night’s development in Parliament, it is increasingly unlikely that the UK will leave the EU on 31 October 2019.
A revised draft Withdrawal Agreement was published on 17 October 2019 and the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill was laid before Parliament on 21 October 2019.
This passed its second reading on 22 October 2019 but almost immediately, the Government lost a vote to fast-track the legislation through Parliament. The Government ‘paused’ the bill pending a decision by the EU on a further extension to Article 50, reluctantly requested by the Prime Minister under the Benn Act – the law aimed at preventing a no-deal Brexit.
The labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has offered to work with the Government to agree a ‘reasonable timetable’ to enable the House of Commons to debate and scrutinise the bill. But if the EU grants an extension until January 2020, as is widely expected, the Prime Minister’s current position is that he would prefer to seek a general election rather than risk Parliament disrupting the passage of the bill.
We understand that this is a concerning time for EU citizens who are living in the UK or who are considering moving to the UK in the near future. Until the UK formally leaves the EU, there is no change in their status – EU citizens have the right to live, work and study in the UK under EU law. We update our Brexit Immigration Analysis page as key developments arise and this provides further detail for EU citizens, and for employers and education providers.
If you need legal advice on Brexit related immigration matters, please contact us.
