LONDON - Britain's main opposition Labour Party on Tuesday said the government was delaying debate of a landmark bill to end Britain's membership of the EU after more than 300 amendments were tabled to the draft law.
"This is further proof that the government's Brexit strategy is in paralysis," Labour's Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer said in a statement.
"The negotiations are in deadlock and now a crucial piece of legislation is facing further delay," he said, adding that this cast doubt on "whether the prime minister (Theresa May) can deliver Brexit."
A Labour source told AFP that the so-called Repeal Bill, which aims to provide legal certainty after Brexit, may not pass the House of Commons until after Christmas.
"We understood the bill would return this week, then we thought next week," the source said, adding that it was not now expected to start facing detailed scrutiny by MPs "until mid-November".
A number of the amendments to the bill -- officially known as the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill -- were proposed by members of May's own Conservative party.
The government says the bill is crucial to avoid legal chaos after Brexit, by transferring the bulk of EU regulations on to the British statute books. (AFP)