Newington's Robert Hamilton looks at what to expect over the next fortnight.
Parliamentary time will be curtailed over the next fortnight as the Commons and Lords rise for their Easter Recess next Thursday. What little time Parliament does have available will be dominated, inevitably, by Brexit as the EU Withdrawal Bill reaches its 11th day of debate during a mammoth passage through the House of Lords. No doubt Brexit Minister Lord Callanan will be grateful for the respite offered by Parliament rising until 16 April after days of robust debate - ranging from topics such as an independent UK trade policy to the post-Brexit rights afforded to recreational boating.
Expect questions over the UK’s relationship with Russia to persist over the next week following the Salisbury nerve agent attack, as Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson faces scrutiny from MPs in the House of Commons.
Beyond Parliament, Prime Minister Theresa May will travel to Brussels this weekend for a meeting of the European Council. She will likely receive approval from her fellows European Heads of State and Government for the post-Brexit transition deal hammered out earlier in the week, but expect trouble further down the line as the issue of the Irish border continues to defy an easy answer.
