UK PM warns Lords not to delay Brexit

British Prime Minister Theresa May has warned the House of Lords not to delay the start of Brexit.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has warned the House of Lords not to delay the start of Brexit. Source: EPA

British Prime Minister Theresa May says Parliament must not hold up "what the British people want" by trying to delay the start of European Union exit talks.

May spoke as the House of Lords begins debate on a bill authorising the government to trigger the EU divorce process.

Opposition members of Parliament's upper chamber are seeking changes to guarantee lawmakers a bigger say in the negotiations.

The unelected Lords can't overrule the House of Commons, which has already passed the bill. But they could delay its passage, endangering the government's self-imposed March 31 deadline for triggering Brexit talks.

The Lords began two days of debate on Monday.

May says the House of Commons approved the bill without amendments, and "I hope that the House of Lords will pay attention to that."