Top Scottish law adviser to Boris Johnson resigns over Internal Market Bill

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Top Scottish Law Adviser To Boris Johnson Resigns Over Internal Market Bill
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Scotland's top law adviser to the British government, Richard Keen, has offered his resignation to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson over his plan to break international law by breaching parts of the Brexit divorce treaty, according to the BBC.

"@BBCScotlandNews understands Lord Keen, the advocate general, has found it increasingly difficult to reconcile govt plans to change EU exit deal with the law," BBC reporter Glenn Campbell said on Twitter.

The British government unveiled draft legislation last week which it acknowledges would violate its international legal obligations and undercut parts of the divorce deal it signed before Britain formally left the European Union in January.

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The EU wants Mr Johnson to scrap what is known as the Internal Market bill, saying it could sink talks on future trade arrangements before Britain leaves the EU's single market, which it has remained part of during a status quo transition period that expires at the end of this year.

Yesterday Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said it was "shocking" that the controversial plan had passed the first hurdle in the UK parliament.

MPs in Westminster voted on the bill on Monday night, following its second reading in the House of Commons.

“For many people it’s pretty shocking that the British government is voting through its parliament a Bill that breaks international law,” he said.

“I don’t ever remember a time when that’s happened before.

“Let’s wait and see what happens to this Bill because there’s certainly an awful lot of division within Westminster as to whether it’s acceptable of not to do that," said Mr Coveney. -Reuters

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