Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal will today return to the Commons as MPs consider amendments after the Government suffered five defeats in the Lords.
Peers backed two more amendments to the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill - or WAB - in the latest mauling for ministers on Tuesday.
The Prime Minister looks certain to overturn all the defeats using his 80-strong majority that was gained after the landslide general election.
Tuesday’s votes followed another three defeats on Monday on the rights of EU workers legally residing in the UK to have physical proof of their right to remain and the power of courts to depart from European Court of Justice rulings.
In the latest reverses, the Government was heavily defeated as peers backed a move to ensure the rights of unaccompanied child refugees to be reunited with their families in the UK post-Brexit.
Voting was 300 to 220, majority 80, in a fourth defeat for the Prime Minister in just 24 hours.
Later, the Government suffered a fifth as peers narrowly backed a move underlining the commitment to the so-called Sewel Convention, which states that the UK Parliament "will not normally" legislate for devolved matters without the consent of the devolved legislature affected.
Voting on this Opposition-led amendment was 239 to 235, majority four.
After more scrutiny of the bill in the Commons on Wednesday, it will then be up to peers to decide whether to prolong the bout of parliamentary ping-pong or bow to the will of the elected House, which seems the most likely.
Labour, Liberal Democrat and independent crossbench peers ignored repeated ministerial warnings not to amend the Bill, insisting their objection was not to stop Brexit but to ensure the legislation was better drafted.
