An amendment giving UK courts power to revoke trade deals with genocidal countries has been narrowly defeated on Tuesday in the House of Commons despite a Tory rebellion. The genocide amendment, tabled by Lord Alton of Liverpool, nullifies trade arrangements made under Trade Bill 2019-21 if the High Court of England and Wales makes a preliminary determination that the proposed trade partner has perpetrated genocide. The amendment was defeated by a margin of 11 votes, with 319 Conservative MPs voting in line with the government to reject it, and 308 MPs—including 33 Conservative rebels and MPs from all other parties—voting to support it. The House of Lords on Dec. 7 voted for the amendment by 287 votes to 161, before it was moved to the Commons. In a heated debate ahead of the vote on Tuesday, cross-party MPs supporting the amendment argued that it provides a legal basis for the UK government to engage …